


Primal

by Caffeineislifeblood (Dizzydodo)



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Courtship, F/M, Kink Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-28
Updated: 2013-01-28
Packaged: 2017-11-27 06:06:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/658772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dizzydodo/pseuds/Caffeineislifeblood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Shepard is threatened on an away-mission, Garrus goes berserk, leading to a bizarre courtship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

If he had been paying attention this never would have happened; if he had been focusing on his marks instead of remembering the spark in Shepard's eyes yesterday as she suggested that they test his reach and her flexibility then they might even now be back aboard the Normandy, celebrating another victory.

Instead they were pinned down on some rocky, too hot, no-name planet in the traverse beset by a veritable horde of Blue Suns bent on protecting their cargo, and they were running out of ammo faster than they were foes.

Garrus propped his rifle carefully in a cranny between two rocks, much as he hated to admit it he was growing weary and it was becoming more and more of an effort to hold the weapon steady. He glanced over to Shepard, sheltering in the shade of an outcropping to his left; with a myriad of cuts and scrapes dotting her face from the jagged debris that blew in on the harsh wind, she wasn't in much better shape than he.

Several times now they had tried calling in to the Normandy to request pick up but the heavy cloud cover seemed to be blocking their signal and the surface of the planet combined with its temperamental weather would have made landing a tricky proposition; there was no other choice then than to deal with these bastards and rendezvous with the ship at the agreed upon hour.

Garrus started as he caught movement from the corner of his eye but relaxed when he saw that it was only Shepard coming to crouch at his side.

She had to shout to be heard over the vicious wind, and even then it was sheer luck that he understood. "I'm out of ammo, how are you holding up?"

"Four rounds to go; I think our best chance is to make a run for it, Shepard. We need a better position!"

Shepard nodded firmly, "If we can make it to the top of the rise there should be some cover on the other side, we'll pick them off with the damn rocks if we have to!"

"I'll cover you."

Shepard looked from him to his rifle and out to their oncoming enemies. "There's no end to them; I want you right behind me, understood?"

Garrus allowed himself to be distracted just once more; if this went south he might not have another chance, and even now covered in the dirt and the grit she was beautiful. Her fringe was wildly disarrayed with the force of the wind and he could see the shimmer of miniscule bits of debris caught in it; he wanted to run his talons through it and pick it clean, he knew how obsessive she could be about neatness. He felt a faint stirring of regret that he hadn't taken her up on that offer then and there, but he had been caught off guard by the suggestion.

It wasn't so much the suggestion itself, as he had said, fraternization was common practice aboard a turian vessel; it was just that this was Commander Jane Shepherd, spectre, hero of a thousand battles, savior of mankind- she could have had anyone she wanted with the crook of her little finger, so why choose a scarred and battered turian instead of some other lover? A human, perhaps? He regretted the impulse that had made him question her, this would be so much more bearable if they had had even one night together before this disaster.

"Garrus, I said do you understand?"

"Yes, Shepard." His distraction was what had landed them in this mess in the first place, he mustn't surrender to it again.

Shepard jumped up and made for the ridge at a run, the dirt warped around her heels as a bullet struck not four inches from her to scatter bits of rock and brittle vegetation that struck her armor and bounced off harmlessly; Garrus rose to return fire, mandibles flickering in the equivalent of a fierce grin as he took one of the mercs right through the throat, hoping it was the one that had so foolishly targeted his commander, shot at his closest friend and maybe the beginning of something more if they ever got off this desolate rock.

A heart-rending scream pierced the air and he fumbled his next shot, watching helplessly as it flew wide of its target. "Shepard!" He turned and cast frantically about, searching for any sign of her; movement among the rocks caught his eye, another Blue Sun approaching from the rear dangerously close to Shepard's last position. Garrus took him out almost without thought, watching indifferently as his body crumpled to the ground; Shepard was the priority.

"Shepard!"

"Garrus!" He could hear a muffled sob in her voice, a tight quality to her tone that suggested she was shouting through clenched teeth; he bounded up the rock face heedlessly, following the sound of her voice.

He found her crouched in a small fissure that he nearly bolted right into before he caught sight of the fringe he had been admiring a few minutes past. He slid down the incline and came to rest at her side, talons grazing gently over her face to wipe away the tears that had escaped her eyes to stream helplessly down her cheeks. Her hands clutched at her leg, teeth grinding as she tried to shift it.

"I slipped on the shale; Son of a-" With a visible effort she swallowed her words, took a breath and started again. "I think it's broken."

Garrus shifted her hands away gently, allowing her to grip his as he inspected the damage. "I think you might be right; we're screwed."

A new voice cut in from above them, "More'n you know."

"Sorry." Shepard whispered quietly as she glared at the intruder, "I'm so sorry."

"Nothing to worry about, we'll find a way out just like we always have." He tried for a reassuring smile, but he felt a growing sense of defeat; Shepard and Vakarian, they had always been a kick-ass team but the odds were seriously weighted against them this time.

In the end there was really no other choice save surrender, or so Shepard told herself repeatedly during the grueling hike back to the Blue Sun encampment; she could see in Garrus' eyes the knowledge of what this must cost her, the memories it would evoke. If she had asked it he would have fought them to his last breath and never uttered a word of reproach even as he lay dying. That was part of why she couldn't bring herself to give that order; there was every chance that if they could just hold out long enough for the weather to clear the Normandy would send reinforcements and wipe these bastards off the face of the map- no point in some heroic last stand when rescue was still a very real possibility.

Shepard squirmed, trying to make herself more comfortable in her makeshift sling and sucked in a breath at the bolt of pain that shot up her leg to radiate throughout her entire body. It wasn't any sense of common decency that had convinced them to construct even this crappy sling but rather simple common sense; after the second time she had nearly fainted from applying too much weight to the damaged limb they had stopped long enough to fashion it from any materials that came readily to hand. Night was coming and there were more things far more frightening than a few desperate mercenaries.

Garrus growled as one of the mercs prodded him along to a trot with the barrel of his shotgun, "Touch me with that thing again and I'll shove it down your throat first chance I get."

"And when's that gonna be?" The batarian sneered, gesturing to the restraints at his wrists, "You'll have to get out of those first."

"Give me time." Garrus rumbled.

Shepard couldn't help a tiny smile; maker help them all when Garrus got loose, he wasn't the most forgiving creature by nature and that look in his eyes screamed danger. She saw that Garrus relaxed marginally when he saw her amusement and tipped a reassuring wink; they would get out of this together. She jerked and snapped her teeth as the human ahead of her jolted her leg with a casual cruelty, stars exploded before her eyes and she leaned back, fists clenching in the dirty fabric.

"Still think you're clever? There won't be much to smile about where we're going."

Normally she would have responded with a pithy observation on his shining countenance and speculation about what could have put it there and what he could do with it, but it was all she could do just to sit up straight; despite her best efforts, an embarrassing grunt of pain escaped her as she once again had to correct her position in order to balance.

Garrus released a snarl the likes of which she didn't think she had ever heard come from his mouth, something purely primitive and with such an apparent threat in the tone that her mouth went dry and the hair on her neck prickled. She shook her head as the dizzy spell passed, but her stomach still felt decidedly nauseous; how much farther would it be?

"We're home!" The human ahead of her called out with a mocking joy. Shepard leaned forward for a better view and winced unconsciously, her thoughts of an easy rescue mission evaporating like water on the hot rocks.

An abandoned mining facility, complete with external defenses and likely enough supplies inside to last through a prolonged siege; fortune was a fickle whore indeed.

Their tormentors keyed in an entry code that for all her efforts she could not quite catch a glimpse of, Garrus didn't seem to be having any better luck. What had she been thinking to bring him along after their conversation last night? He had always been a perilous distraction for her, one she hadn't been able to resist, but it was so much worse knowing that they had shot at being something more than just comrades- in- arms; that simply wasn't enough anymore.

They still had much to discuss; she should have left him safely aboard the Normandy where he wouldn't constantly draw her attention; she had become used to keeping him nearby, somehow he had become her right-hand man and when they had received the distress signal from this no-account planet he had been her automatic first choice for accompaniment, no pesky thought required. She had assumed that she could keep it professional long enough to see them safely aboard ship and she had been mistaken. If she hadn't been so preoccupied with the ruthless efficiency of his movements and that sexy turian smirk on his face, they might have been back aboard the Normandy concluding that little discussion rather than enjoying the less than welcoming hospitality of the Blue Suns.

The sudden darkness after hours spent in punishing sunlight had colored bursts appearing before her eyes to obscure her vision; she blinked furiously to clear it as they were swallowed up by the shadows.


	2. Chapter 2

Shepard snarled mutely at her attendants as she rose from her makeshift seat, surprised when they didn't clap any restraints on her free hands but then why would they? As far as her eye could see they were in an open space, dotted here and there with abandoned crates that doubled as chairs or tables depending on the occupant's inclinations and didn't it just look they had brought the whole crew out in force to greet her?

Good. It would make it that much easier to ensure they were all neatly disposed of if she had them trapped here in close quarters, not that it looked like she would be getting her hands on a weapon anytime soon.

Garrus made his way to her side, still flanked by his number one fan; "You going to be alright?"

Shepard shrugged loosely, "Don't worry about it; let's just get past this little meet and greet and then we'll see how it goes from there."

Garrus nodded his agreement, shifting his wrists in their restraints to test for any weaknesses; these hadn't been designed for a turian, that was clear, but they seemed to be doing their job. Maybe if he applied a little pressure just there-

His thoughts were cut short by the arrival of a new merc; judging by the relative cleanliness of his armor and the upgrades it was sporting this had to be someone fairly high-ranking. With luck, Shepard could convince him that they were too much trouble to hold here as prisoners.

Shepard caught sight of him and straightened her shoulders, raising her chin the smallest bit; it had always puzzled him, the way humans made that defiant gesture- why would they deliberately expose such a vulnerable part of their anatomy? Then again this was Shepard; he couldn't see her eyes but knowing her she was probably daring their foes to try something.

"Commander Shepard, isn't it?"

Snickers ran through the assembly, making his hackles rise. Diplomacy wouldn't work here, these bastards were getting off on the mere thought of having caught The Commander Shepard. They'd be reluctant to surrender the prize; clearly Shepard's more unique methods would be called for.

"We all know my name, what's yours?"

He opened his mouth to respond and Shepard cut him off, "Never mind, don't know why I'd need to talk much with a dead man anyway. The important thing here is, you've made a serious mistake."

"A mistake?"

"You can't hold us here for long; if all else fails we'll have reinforcements as soon as this weather clears up. Leaving that aside, have you ever stopped to consider just what we might be willing to do to escape if we know you have no intention of letting us go?"

The mercenary didn't respond verbally, only gestured for her to continue.

"I'll give you a hint since you seem a little slow on the uptake; it involves gratuitous amounts of violence. Vakarian and I will enjoy it- you lot, not so much I'll bet."

Shepard seemed tense; Garrus could see her shifting her stance as she tested her weight-bearing capability on the damaged leg. This room was too small for any great amount of maneuverability, they were hemmed in on all sides and there would be no quick dodging or spectacular acrobatics on her part. The crew would come for them but this place was fortified; it would take them a while to blast their way in, and a little longer to fight their way through these crowds to their C.O.

Could they do it? Hell yes; he was just worried about timing and Shepard seemed to have reached a similar conclusion. She rolled her shoulders, shifting her good leg back for balance; her hand twitched spasmodically, doubtless itching for a pistol. This bastard had one holstered on his left hip, and if he stepped much closer Shepard would be the proud owner of a brand new Kessler.

"She didn't even give me a chance to explain myself." The human spread his arms in mock supplication to the gathering, a smirk hovering about his lips.

"By all means, start talking," Shepard snapped.

"You're not in charge here."

Shepard glanced over to Garrus, eyes shifting to his faltering restraints so quickly he couldn't be sure he'd really seen it.

"Right, what was it you were saying?"

"We don't mean to keep you long, Commander. It's just we heard a rumor and there's not a man in this camp hasn't laid credits on the truth of it."

Shepard very obviously bit back a cutting response as she shifted impatiently.

"Rumor has it Spectres are always a great fuck; that one won't mind sharing while we find out will he?" He tipped his head toward Garrus, who stilled like a varren with prey in his sights.

"Sorry, you won't get the chance to find out; I'm not going to take some two-bit hooker's leavings so you'll just have to settle for the company of your good right hand." She sneered.

He took a step closer and Garrus began to growl softly, she flicked her fingers at him in a futile warning; she still had this under control, there was no cause for concern just yet but if he moved too fast he could ruin her chance.

"All we're asking is a little fun and then you're on your way, no harm done. Unless you want to do this the hard way?" He pulled out a knife to cut the clasp of her suit, ripping neatly down the center as his crew-mates began to cat-call. Shepard felt a blush of anger rising in cheeks, and if she were honest, a hint of shame.

Her anger intensified as his other filthy hand slipped between her hips, making lewd gestures; fury made her reckless, moving quickly her hand darted up to catch his armed hand in one of hers, taking the hilt firmly in her grip the other pressing her nails into the sensitive skin at the joining of his wrist. "Yes, the hard way."

He cried out as Shepard yanked the knife from his grasp, angling it away from her as she insinuated her fingers into his grip to snap his index and middle fingers at the knuckle, pulling him in by the digits to pry the pistol from its holster, the knife clattered harmlessly to the floor. His opposite fist clipped her in the jaw as he flailed. "You Bitch!"

Shepard grimaced as her weight shifted to the bad leg, shoving into the shoulder of her opponent in an attempt to regain her balance. They scuffled for a minute, Shepard catching his abused fingers between her teeth to bite down hard as he grappled for her throat with the other. With a click, the pistol finally came free and Shepard jammed the barrel between his eyes.

"Your pretty blue peepers are going to end up spattered all over the place if you don't settle down."

"Bitch. We're done here." His leg curled to strike close to her fracture and Shepard's fingers loosened the critical inch necessary for him to knock it away, "When I'm finished with you, sweetheart, no one else will want you again. I suggest you enjoy it." He reached desperately for the knife as Shepard fought to keep him pinned and still.

A rending snap followed by an unnaturally resonant growl drew their attention toward Garrus; his attendant slumped to the ground with a final gurgle as blood poured from his mouth, a jagged hole torn in his armor by Garrus' rending talons. The merc still pinned beneath Shepard began to squirm, an expression of horrified fascination frozen on his face as Garrus moved on to the next before the other attendant had breathed his last.

He stared incredulously up at Commander Shepard; his last sight was the dark satisfaction reflected in her gaze as she pulled the trigger.

Shepard felt the warm spatter of his blood on her face and her lips curled in disgust; her first order of business when they boarded the Normandy would be to wash his muck from her, maybe she could even convince Garrus to join her for a hot shower.

The cavern echoed with the sound of desperate, dying screams and Shepard turned away from the corpse, eyes widening in shock as she took in the carnage. For all the time they had served together, she had never known Garrus could move that fast; at times he was almost a blur as he moved from one man to the next, never in one place long enough for them to get a fix on his position. His talons made short work of their armor, his fangs left bloody grooves where their throats had once been.

An eerie silence descended, broken only by the sound of Garrus' deep breaths and a moan from a fallen batarian; Garrus turned toward its source, stalking over to the poor bastard, lifting him from the floor by his neck to pull him into an embrace. A muffled snap and his voice cut off abruptly, head falling at an unnatural angle.

Garrus turned back toward her and she could see the glow of his blue eyes even from over a yard away.

"Hell, Garrus; you could've saved me a few. I wouldn't have objected." She essayed a grin, but it was slightly disconcerting how her voice echoed in the absolute silence.

She braced herself on her palms as she rose to her feet, starting slightly when she realized Garrus had somehow crossed the distance between them to stand at her side. He reached down and braced her against him as he set her gently on her feet taking her in with piercing eyes.

"Thanks." She pulled her damaged shirt closely about her protectively. This was Garrus, there was no need for shame but she hoped it might calm him somewhat to see her functioning normally.

Still not a word; this was the part where they were supposed to engage in teasing banter about their opponents' incompetence or maybe slip in a few jibes about their own sloppy technique. He had outdone himself this time and she had been expecting a little good-natured ribbing about her failure to participate, but he didn't seem inclined to conversation.

Shepard turned in the direction of the entrance; now she just needed to find her comm unit and they could be back aboard the Normandy as soon as Joker said it was safe for landing, maybe a little sooner if she taunted him enough.

She yelped as Garrus caught her up by her waist, scooping her up carefully in an effort not to jostle her injured leg.

"The hell, Vakarian. I can walk!" She snapped peevishly, one look at his eyes was enough to tell her he was too far gone to notice.

She struggled briefly, pushing at his plated shoulders, digging her nails in forcefully and generally making a nuisance of herself in the hopes that he might snap out of his haze.

"Garrus, we need to call in to the Normandy and I'd like a damn splint if at all possible; could you just put me down for a second?"

Garrus hissed as one of her hands knocked him on the chin. His grip tightened, biting firmly into her shoulder hard enough to tell her he wasn't going to let go willingly. Her only option if she truly wanted free would be to hurt him, and she wasn't about to after all they had gone through. This would pass; his blood was probably still running hot from battle. He would cool down eventually, and then they could have a talk about whether it was acceptable to carry her like this in anything less than a life-threatening situation.

And then she could think up some creative ways for him to earn her forgiveness.


	3. Chapter 3

Shepard glared warningly at Garrus as he lowered her to the ground, "Do NOT drop me. I will kick you ass, Garrus."

So far it still seemed as though her running commentary fell on deaf ears, not even so much as a whistle of response as he prowled about this blasted wasteland looking for something, just what that would be she hadn't a clue. Not until now.

Halfway up a sheer rock face he seemed to have found what he was looking for, Shepard dared not make even a single waspish comment as he climbed the precarious ridge, eyes set on some point in the distance that she couldn't make out. When they at last arrived at the area that he had been staring so fixedly at, Shepard had found a shadowy alcove, too small to be called a cave but more than just a foxhole. In any case, she had slept in worse and she was eager to finally brace her leg, if only she could get Garrus to give her a little space.

It had all seemed so simple just a little over an hour ago, Garrus would get them out of the cavern, she could calm him with some soothing words and gestures and they could book it back to the Normandy and arrange for a private debriefing in her cabin. Unfortunately Garrus didn't seem to be in a cooperative mood, her words had been met with hardly any sign of comprehension; except when she raised her voice, that nearly always earned her a peculiar trill, quite soft and she supposed comforting to a turian female. Endlessly vexing for her, she wanted her partner back _now._

Shepard sighed with relief as he laid her tenderly on the ground, arranging her so that she leaned back against the wall with her legs stretched before her; she reached for her pack and Garrus kicked it casually from her reach as he crouched down at eye level with her. Shepard met him stare for stare, not willing to blink or look away lest he took it for acquiescence. What was the proper protocol for this situation? She didn't recall anything to this effect in what she had read of turians, nothing from boot camp or all her years of campaigning compared to this; turians were predators though, and predators respected a show of force, so she gazed right back unflinchingly. Garrus would never hurt her, she knew that to the depths of her soul, but she would have given anything to be able to tap Dr. Mordin's brilliant mind for a solution to this.

"Come on, Garrus. It's all over, we're safe." Garrus wasn't listening, too busy ripping away the tight covering to prod at the dark bruise just below her knee, moving her leg this way and that as he evaluated the extent of her injury, he pressed a little too hard and Shepard lashed out with a cry, nails skittering harmlessly off his plated skin, "Damn it! Easy!"

Garrus rumbled a peculiar purr, something that sounded vaguely apologetic to her ears as he pulled away and began rifling through her pack. Shepard began speaking again, more to break the silence than in any attempt to communicate with him, "We need something solid to keep it stable, if nothing else then pull out the pressure bandages and we'll make do."

As though on cue, he pulled the bandages from the pack, scooting forward once more to loop her good leg about his waist, Shepard tensed unconsciously when he braced her other leg against the outside of his own, bracing it there as he began to wind the bandage firmly beneath and above the break. Good to know his critical thinking was still intact even if his speech was on the fritz.

Shepard leaned back with a quiet sigh, when he was done here maybe she could try convincing him to give her the comm unit. She ran her fingers through her hair absentmindedly and came away with dried flecks of blood stuck in her nails; disgusting. She glanced yearningly at her pack, there was a canteen in there she could use to clean up a little when Garrus finished with her leg. Then again, there was no telling how long it would take for the crew to find them if she couldn't get her hands on that comm. Fuck it. She'd deal with a water crisis when it arose and not a moment before, the thought of that scum's blood coming into contact with any of the myriad of open cuts in her skin made her cringe. Washing up was a priority, who knew what sort of diseases that bastard had been carrying? Probably things long since eradicated from council space, maybe a few choice fevers as yet undiscovered; she shuddered and Garrus paused in his work, glancing up at her face as though to ask her permission to carry on.

Shepard leaned forward to inspect his work and nodded approvingly, not so tight as to cut off her circulation but tight enough to dull the pain even if it was only a little. She felt a flutter of hope as Garrus reached for the pack once again, replaced by a feeling of self-mocking despair as he removed a blanket instead. He trilled softly as he tucked it around her, Shepard pulled her hands from the protective warmth to run them through her hair, dislodging the dirt and other muck from the day's work. A hair-raising growl made her pause, glaring at Garrus. "Your temper tantrum is beginning to wear thin, Vakarian. I'm dirty and I intend to be presentable by the time Joker lands, which should be any minute now judging from the position of the sun." She kept her voice low and even if peevish in the hope that Garrus might respond to the non-aggressive body language and muted voice.

She flinched back as he reached forward, finger running gently up the curve of her face to her hair, touching it almost hesitantly. He pulled at a lock and Shepard snorted, causing him to start. "Never knew you had a thing for redheads, Vakarian. It's good to know, though." She frowned as she felt his fingers moving through her hair in a combing motion, pausing every now and again to yank at a particularly stubborn snarl, and didn't he just look so sexy when his attention was focused so completely on her? She watched his eyes darting as he looked for the tell-tale shimmer of rock in her hair, picked the blood from it gently, pushed it back behind her ears to gain access to the deeper layers. He pulled her forward slightly and she allowed it, curious to see where it might lead; he turned her slowly, attuned to her every twitch and adjustment as he put her back to his front and resumed his preening.

That was really the only word for it, she decided: preening; he was preening her, and she had never expected to enjoy it quite so much.

Shepard started as she felt a cold talon trace the shell of her ear, sending shivers of awareness down her spine. He circled her ear again, pressing into the soft hollow behind it as his thumb swirled about the lobe. She'd never really been aware of her ears as anything other than useful items to have, now she thought she might find a better use for them sometime; preferably when Garrus was in full possession of his faculties. His palm flattened between her shoulder-blades, bending her forward as he leaned in, his mandibles tickling the curve of her neck as he moved up to her ear; she could feel the warm puff of his breath as he nuzzled against it, catching it carefully in sharp teeth for an inquisitive tug. Shepard gasped; yes, ears were definitely suited for other things; she would make note of this. Garrus bit down reprovingly on her neck and Shepard held her breath.

Evidently the moment had passed, he returned to her hair, allowing the gleaming strands to flow through his fingers as he lifted it up to bare the back of her neck. Shepard's fingers clutched at the blanket, keenly aware of the vulnerability of her position and not entirely sure she liked it; she would get him back for this one day. He leaned in and she felt herself jump at the warm wetness of his tongue, running up the exposed portion of her spine, claws lingering at the border of her hair.

"Enough, I'm clean!" Her voice came out louder than intended and she chuckled when she felt him swiftly pull back. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, smiling mischievously. Her smile vanished when she remembered why they were out here in the first place. There would be time for playfulness later, night was falling and it was imperative she inform the Normandy of their position and in order to do that she had to get hold of that damn comm!

Shepard turned and pushed him back, her hands moved uncertainly over the clasps of his armor; if she took this any further, where would it stop? She had to set boundaries, to tease him like this when he was not thinking clearly was irresponsible. If he were truly conscious he would no doubt once again remind her that there were others she could turn to for comfort, would suggest something "a little closer to home," and as much as she disagreed to proceed against his wishes like this would make her no better than that Blue Sun merc rotting in his compound. She pulled back, scooting softly along the ground; there would be another time, when they were both awake and aware, she scolded herself silently for even contemplating anything else.

Garrus apparently disagreed, catching at her wrist to pull her toward him once again, catching at the stays of his armor, pulling away the outer shell to leave only the soft material beneath.

Shepard swallowed, strangely nervous as she traced her hand up his chest to the vulnerable flesh of his throat, tracing her nails over the rough skin there. Garrus trilled softly, leaning into her touch and Shepard smiled fondly; he was bad as Urz, demanding that she pet him. She pulled herself in closer to nibble at the path her nails had traced and she felt his breathing grow rapid. She stuck her tongue out tentatively to taste his skin; dry, and oddly sweet? She licked again. Yes, there was a faint tang there; of course Garrus would have his own unique taste; why would she think otherwise? She smiled against his throat as he leaned back farther to allow her greater access. How would he react if she… Garrus growled as she bit lightly into his neck; she could justify this if she just called it sabotage, a necessary deception for his own good. In the worst case scenario she could simply keep this her little secret, a bit of guilty fun; there was every chance he wouldn't remember this little episode, and if he did then surely he could forgive her.

His talons dug into her back and she winced, coming back to her senses abruptly and pushing him away firmly. This was wrong.

Garrus rumbled questioningly, and she pushed farther back. The more space between them the better, she was clearly no more sane than he at the moment and it would be better for all concerned if they kept a friendly distance.

She pulled the blanket closer around her, slumping to the floor and resting her head in the crook in her arm. She heard rocks shifting behind her as Garrus pulled closer once again, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't Garrus", she sighed. The next moment he had pulled her head into his lap, crooning softly to her as his talons tangled in her hair. Shepard felt herself drifting off and surrendered to it. There would be time tomorrow to regroup; with any luck, Garrus would be himself again.

A gentle snore woke her, her time on the streets had taught her to sleep lightly and even that soft sound was enough to jolt her from her slumber. She glanced up slowly; Garrus rested his back against a protruding rock, sleeping deeply it seemed; this would be her chance.

She rose carefully, tucking the blanket against him; the weight should pacify him during her little foray. Keeping her damaged leg stretched out behind her she crept toward the packs, fingers shaking in her anxiousness. There! She grinned as her hand closed around her comm unit, dragging it from the pack; with a careful glance back to verify that Garrus still slept she activated it, "Joker, come in. This is commander Shepard."

"With all due respect, and I'm really not sure how much that is at this point, where the _hell_ are you?"

"I might have lost track. I need you to trace this signal and arrange for pickup. Have you landed?"

"Hours ago. Grunt and Tali were out looking for you; they saw signs of a struggle. You kicked ass, right?"

"Of course. Listen, I need to talk to Dr. Mordin right now."

"Mordin? All's well?"

"Just get me Mordin."

She shifted uncomfortably as she heard Garrus' shallow breaths, "Hurry, Joker." No, he couldn't wake up now. This was crucial.

"Shepard, how can I help?"

Never had she been so happy to hear the good doctor's voice.

"We have a bit of a situation. Garrus is… not himself."

"How so?"

Shepard glanced back nervously, he was definitely waking; how would he react if he woke and she wasn't there?

"I don't know how else to put it, Garrus has gone feral. He's not speaking, he's not responding to anything I say-"

Mordin cut her off. "This occurred when?"

"We were ambushed, got roughed up a little, he lost it."

"Request clarification: who was 'roughed up.'?"

Shepard ground her teeth, "I was, but that's not important-"

"False. It is critical; this is a primal response. Typically triggered when a turian's mate is exposed to danger."

"What!" She winced and quieted. "We can discuss that later. What do I do while we wait for rescue?"

"Be calm; turian female would secrete bonding hormone. Would halt the effects, with a human, impossible to predict."

"Do you have any useful advice at all?" She snapped.

"Ingesting can be toxic. Potential trigger for an anaphylactic reaction."

"Ingesting what?!" That sounded uncomfortably close to a panicked shriek.

Shepard lashed out when she felt a pair of strong arms close around her waist, drawing her back from the comm unit. There was an ominous crunching sound followed by a spark as Garrus ground it into the dust.

Shepard groaned, she'd been caught.


	4. Chapter 4

"Vakarian!" Shepard twisted in his grip, pushing her elbow back into his plates and straining forward for all the good it did her; Garrus certainly didn't seem too impressed with her efforts, glaring over her shoulder at the sparking wreck that had once been an omnitool. So much for plan A, but surely they had been on long enough for EDI to get a fix on their position?

More importantly, how the hell was she supposed to keep Garrus calm if she didn't have that magical "bonding hormone" Dr. Mordin had referred to? And "don't ingest?" She had the uncomfortable feeling she knew exactly what he meant.

Shepard was jolted from her thoughts when she felt the shirt being tugged from her back, she could hear a frustrated growl from Garrus as he tugged at it. Well why not, he'd be keeping her warm anyway and if skin on… plate contact would keep him under control she wasn't going to refuse it. She shrugged the shirt off quickly, smiling when Garrus chuffed happily.

"Glad to know you're enjoying the strip tease, but feel free to let me go any time n-" She swallowed the rest of the word as Garrus' talon ran down the valley of her breasts to her stomach, trilling curiously when he found her belly button. She twitched as he ran the edge of his talons curiously around it, squirmed as Garrus' other arm clamped about her waist firmly whilst he continued his exploration.

Shepard insinuated an arm beneath his to loosen his grip, twisting her body to face his. "What am I to do with you?" She murmured, Garrus dipped his head and she pressed her forehead to his, there was no one here to witness the casual intimacy, and he didn't seem to be objecting.

Her face brightened slightly; going by Dr. Mordin's parting words it might even be that intimacy was encouraged. Anything to soothe the savage beast so to speak, though she wasn't sure "savage" was the right word. He was trailing his thumb down her spine and she felt tingles following it. She arched into him unconsciously as his thumb found the hollow at the base of her back, drawing circles around the dimple. She caught her breath as one of his talons dipped a little lower, tracing up the curve of her ass; she arched in surprise and he purred when she pressed herself against him, nuzzling into the crook of her neck.

Shepard shuddered as she felt his tongue tracing along her collar bone, her fingers stealing up to his fringe, curling in the space at the back of his neck just beneath it, her nails pricking lightly into the delicate skin there. He froze when she mimicked his previous movements along her back, fingers tracing ever downward until she encountered his plates, nudging into the small spaces between.

He wasn't so much as breathing; if he were anything like a human that would be a good thing, but she pulled back anxiouslsly. He nipped her roughly and she jumped, chuckling, that needed no interpretation. She brought her other hand to his hip, gliding along the ridges there, why hadn't she asked Mordin for advice sooner? This would all be so much easier if she wasn't working entirely off instinct, but Garrus didn't seem to be objecting too much. Emboldened, she began to shift against him, his plates were rough against her skin and she knew it might leave a bit of redness, but such a minor consideration was not going to put her off her task.

Her hand trailed farther down the curve of his hip to slip into the juncture of his legs and she frowned. There was a gap there wider than the other spaces, she traced her fingers over it, a new thought taking root. She pushed her hand in slowly to test the idea and Garrus gasped, arching against her almost enough to throw her off balance as her hand closed around him. She stroked experimentally and felt the plates widen further. A calculating smile spread across her lips and she curved her fingers to run them teasingly down his length. Garrus groaned softly as his length began to emerge from the protective plates, his thumbs pressing into the base of her ribs as his hands clenched on her waist.

"That's unexpected." She leaned forward to place her mouth against the hole that served as his ear. "Unexpected, but not unwelcome. Damn, Garrus. How are you so fucking sexy?" Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she was taking this too far; they should stop. She would, any second now, or that's what she told herself. Garrus' hand slipped down her front, dipping between her legs to copy her action, growling with frustration as he encountered her underwear. Shepard laughed as his talons ripped through them, fingers pressing up into her, curving as he shifted. His thumb found the small nub at her entrance and he brushed against it softly; Shepard hissed; too clever for his own good, that was Garrus.

She sighed with disappointment as Garrus withdrew his questing fingers, gazing raptly at the liquid coating them. Mordin's warning flashed through her mind once again and she caught his talons between her lips, sucking at them as she gazed at him with hooded eyes. Garrus' mandibles flickered with interest as she bathed him with her tongue, scraping her teeth curiously against them. Her other began to stroke him rapidly, closed firmly about his length; he threw his head back, a choked purr working its way up his throat as his hands clenched and unclenched, hips shifting against hers insistently. He pulled his talons from her mouth, slipping between her legs once more, his palm pushing against her in just the right way as he slipped his fingers back inside, scissoring them so that she spread her legs wider to give him greater access.

She brushed her thumb along the slit at his crown, sliding her other hand down to circle the head as her second worked his length. He growled and stumbled back pulling her with him until he rested against the cool stone wall. She felt the warmth of his release on her palm and smiled up at him teasingly, but the smile was wiped from her face when he pushed both his talons deeply into her, his other thumb circling her clit as she arched and shuddered.

They stood there for a moment, each leaning against the other for support. Shepard could feel her legs shaking and dimly wondered how much longer they would support her weight if she pulled away; not that she intended to, she smiled against him, snorting softly. She could feel the tremors running through his body, and his warm breath on her throat combined with the slightly ticklish feeling of his mandibles against the side of her throat was distracting her again.

Surely it didn't matter all that much, her job was to keep him calm; the fact that it might have become something more than that was irrelevant, they were both rather languid at the moment, so mission achieved. She lowered herself carefully to the ground, making a grateful sound as he braced her with his arms, sinking down beside her as she arranged her leg in such a way that it wouldn't interfere with her sleep. Judging from the pitch darkness outside it should be at least another three hours until dawn and damned if she didn't want to snuggle a bit; they had time. It should be a while before the crew got to them, and besides, it was cold out; it only made sense to keep close.

Garrus curled around her protectively, one hand resting on her hip as he traced soothing circles there; at least, they were meant to be soothing, she thought. Unfortunately she was getting ideas. Shepard shifted uncomfortably; they needed to sleep, it would be better if they were well-rested for the hike back to the Normandy, maybe she would even be semi-coherent by the time the rescue party arrived.

Garrus' hand was trailing down the crease of her hip to her center again, Shepard lifted her good leg to to hook it about his calf, careful to avoid the spurs there but baring herself to his exploration. He traced a finger up her stomach, whistling softly as her muscles contracted; she reached behind to clamp a hand at his waist, scratching the plates there lightly as his thumb began playing at her clit again. In her exposed position she couldn't find the leverage to shift against him, but she twitched and gasped as he worked her, adjusting his pace to make it slower or faster in accordance with her breathing, she keened softly as she felt her tremors begin again. The tension left her body and she rested her head on her arm, unhooking her leg from Garrus' He would have none of it, one hand rose to hold her leg in that position, the other already swirling patterns along the flesh of her stomach again. Shepard abandoned any hope of sleep, this was the better alternative anyway, now if only she could teach him something about breasts…

The morning light woke her, streaming through the cave's entrance to invade their place of safety. Shepard blinked the sleep from her eyes, stretching quietly against her partner. Garrus murmured unintelligibly, a series of soft clicks and groans that she guessed suggested contentment.

Her stomach growled and one of Garrus' eyes opened slightly, eyeing her curiously, "I'm hungry." She explained; still no sign of comprehension, but it eased her nervousness just to speak to him every now and again.

For all her foraging last night she had found no food in her pack, likely appropriated by their would-be captors; she took comfort in the thought that Garrus' store should be intact at least, but that still left the problem of what she was going to eat; dextro food did not mix well with levo physiology, at best she would still be hungry and at worst it would kill her with many different reactions in between that she did _not_ want to experience.

She extricated herself from his grip, pushing to her feet to scout around the inside of the cave but found not so much as a promising scrap of vegetation. She felt a little light-headed as she moved toward the entrance of the cave, gazing out at the rocky landscape, not much chance of food there. How long had it been since she'd eaten last? Breakfast, breakfast yesterday but with all the excitement that hadn't really bothered her until now. Her stomach growled again and Garrus rose, moving toward his pack. At least on of them could have breakfast this morning, even if it just makeshift rations and M.R.E.s; she'd eat tonight when they were back aboard the ship with no harm done. Once Mordin had had a look at him and fixed him up, Garrus could tell the tale of their adventure, editing where necessary, while she scarfed down some of Gardner's excellent cooking.

Garrus pulled a packet from his supplies and ripped the top away with his teeth impatiently; seemed she wasn't the only one whose stomach was growling inappreciatively. Shepard rocked back on her heels as Garrus approached, proffering a slice of… whatever that was with a coaxing gesture. Shepard shook her head, "No ingesting, remember?" She grinned at him, gesturing the food away. He stepped closer to press the food into her hand and Shepard accepted, grateful for his thoughtfulness but equally determined that she could not eat it.

Garrus settled back, watching her with his own food untouched in his hand. "Eat, Vakarian. That's an order." Only problem being, it didn't count as insubordination when he couldn't understand a word of it. He set aside his own food and pulled her toward him, one arm clamping around her chest as he lowered his head to her neck, biting into that sensitive spot he had found last night, Shepard's mouth opened in surprise and she felt his fingers slip between her lips to deposit something sickly-sweet on her tongue. Shepard gagged, spitting the offending article from her mouth as she slanted a betrayed look back at him. "Nice try, Vakarian. I'll be on guard for your tricks."

He trilled softly, and she could swear she caught a pleading note in the sound. He was too far gone to remember species sensitivity; she would just have to keep an eye out for any more well-meant trickery. Her stomach rumbled again at that moment and Garrus caught her jaw between between his thumb and talon, pushing her teeth apart carefully to slip more of the food in between to her tongue. Shepard brought her hands up to block him, scrabbling at the plates at his wrist, he caught her wrists in the palm of a hand and she took a moment to notice how very small they seemed in comparison to his. Not the time, she knew.

He brought his other hand to her throat and she shied back, trying to snap her teeth but prevented by his firm grip; this was going to go on the ever-growing list of things she would have him atone for as soon as he was himself again. She curved a leg around his, pushing at the joint in his leg in the hope that he would fold, but he simply bent with the pressure, adjusting his center of balance so that he remained standing. His talon massaged her throat gently, up and down as she fought the urge to swallow and lost.

His mandibles flickered in satisfaction and Shepard gave him a death glare as he reached over to break off another piece of the foul stuff, bringing it to her lips once again.

It was going to be a long day; assuming he survived it after this stunt.

Assuming she did.


	5. Chapter 5

Shepard groaned as her abused stomach emptied itself once more, Garrus was hovering over her, concern written plainly in every tender gesture. He brushed the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear as she doubled up once more then wiped away the sweat that had beaded on her brow carefully with his thumbs. In any other circumstances she might have enjoyed the attention, except that it was all made necessary by him.

After she began to gag and hack the third time around, Garrus had stopped forcing the food into her mouth. Unfortunately he didn't seem to have made the connection between her illness and his actions, meaning that they would probably repeat the process this evening if someone didn't pick them up first. Without her omni-tool and with Garrus' stashed somewhere out of sight she couldn't very well contact the Normandy to request an ETA, but she prayed it would be soon. If night fell and they still hadn't come she would risk another attempt to find a working omni-tool, the consequences certainly hadn't been that bad last time around. Truth to tell she had enjoyed the experience, and that left a hollow feeling of guilt in her stomach.

Was it rape if he had initiated? Had she _raped_ her closest friend in his moment of vulnerability? Oh certainly he had been willing enough, but then he wasn't exactly in his right mind and he had asked her for time to research when she had confronted him on the Normandy with her proposition. She doubled over again, relieved to see that this was only a dry heave; her body had finally given up on rejecting the foreign food and maybe now she could have some peace.

Garrus' hand ran up her back to stroke through her hair, crooning a nonsensical melody; Shepard arched into his touch, crawling over to his lap. "I need water." She gestured toward the canteen. Garrus glanced in the direction she pointed, reaching over quickly to grab the canteen. Shepard pulled it from his hand, popping the top as she tilted her head back to down the precious commodity. She had to be sparing with it, between the two of them and the soaring temperatures outside their little shelter there was no telling how long they would have to make it last. A half-gallon of water a day in desert climes was recommended for the average human female, what about turians? The originated from a desert planet, did they not? Did they have any sort of coping mechanisms in place for long droughts and dry spells? Did he require much more than her?

After two brief gulps she tried to put the water aside but Garrus caught her head and tilted it back, pressing the cap between her teeth once again as his other talon massaged her throat. Deja vu; Shepard pushed his hand away briskly, sputtering as some of the water went down the wrong pipe. She glared balefully at him and was amused to note how he withered slightly beneath her sharp regard- there was hope yet.

"You remember what happened the last time you tried that?" Shepard gestured to the mess behind her, scooting carefully from his lap to scoop dirt over the contaminated area. Garrus joined her, covering the mess in a matter of seconds. Shepard leaned back and caught his eye, "You got it. _That_ happened." Shepard shuddered, "In the interest of avoiding another such incident, let's both agree that there will be no more force-feeding. Sound fair?"

Garrus was watching her lips move, but judging from the distracted look on his face he had neither heard nor understood her words. His talon reached out to brush against the seam of her lips, opening them slightly as he slipped it in once again. Shepard rolled her eyes, stifling a laugh despite herself; she licked a slow path up his finger, nibbling the tough skin at its base.

She pulled back, catching his hand in hers and playing her nails across the interlocking plates; she smiled as his eyes narrowed in pleasure, "My mouth is disgusting right now. We should really wait and continue this discussion later, but if you insist…"

Her previous inhibitions were forgotten as she leaned forward to press light kisses along his neck and up to his jaw; unable to resist, she sucked the tip of a mandible into her mouth, chuckling at his confused trill that dissolved into a pleased purr as her ministrations continued. She brushed her breasts against him shamelessly, letting out a relieved gasp as his talons traced up her rib cage, lifting her breasts so his thumbs could brush across her nipples.

He had learned his lesson well, she thought when he bent his head to continue his attentions, his mandibles flickering teasingly against her sensitive flesh as he nipped lightly at her nipple. She held her breath, absorbing the feeling of closeness, trying to disregard that little voice that whispered she was taking advantage of a subordinate. She attacked his neck again, her tongue trailing up to his ears to blow into them softly. Garrus stiffened, his hips twitching slightly against her; Shepard curled more tightly into him, bracing her legs on either side of him as she lowered herself farther into his lap, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders as she began to rock against him, taking her pleasure as he took his. She felt his length pressing against her and angled herself in a way that he would not penetrate, Dr. Mordin's warning echoing in her mind once more.

She bucked against him and hissed as her clit slid over him, arching until she came to his base and pressing there as she rocked harder. Garrus had begun to make those broken purring sounds and she could feel the vibrations of it all through her body. She angled her bad leg out straight at his side, curling her good one about his waist to bring her into closercontact with him. The new angle struck her just right and she tossed her head back, moving more swiftly against him now.

Garrus hissed softly, his face coming to rest against her neck, his panting spurring her on. She felt the muscles of his thighs tensing beneath his plates and brought her hands down to slip between them, one finger swirling about her clit as her other dove into that intriguing crevice once more.

The sound of shifting rocks made her pause and she stopped, Garrus growled, his talons digging into her hips desperately as he arched against her. Shepard gasped, trying to push herself away with a free hand as she twisted to look over her shoulder.

Nothing. Had it just been a fluke?

This time she thought she heard a yelp as the sand shifted once again. Garrus froze; Shepard shifted from his lap slowly, making her careful way toward the pistol she had discarded in the corner. If she could just reach it in time-

"Commander Shepard?"

She knew that voice, "Mordin!"

"Shepard?"

Shepard had never been so happy to hear Miranda's voice; she laughed aloud, too gleeful to care that she sat in a cave bathed in dust and bare as the day her mother gave her birth.

That last clicked and Shepard reached for Garrus, shielding her modesty at least somewhat behind his form. Garrus' hackles were up, she could hear the low growl in the back of his throat that denoted nothing remotely approaching pleasure. She swallowed, "Be careful in your approach. Garrus is hostile."

"Only natural. Instinct is to protect his mate, we are a threat."

It was rather odd, conversing with a disembodied voice, stranger still to hear Mordin referring to her as a "mate". She scrabbled to hold on to Garrus' smooth plates as he strained against her grip, predatory gaze fixed on the opening.

Mordin's head popped above the lip of the opening, face contorting into what was obviously meant to be a reassuring smile but it was all too obvious that he was assessing the situation and the outlook was grim. Garrus broke her grip and rushed headlong toward his perceived foe. Mordin ducked back down and Shepard could hear a frustrated cry from Miranda in the distance. This wasn't good.

Disregarding her vulnerable state, Shepard clutched at the walls raising herself to her feet painstakingly. "Garrus! Garrus Vakarian! Look at me when I say your name!" Sheer instinct made him turn at her commanding tone, she thought she might have caught a flicker of surprise in his eyes. A flash of clarity, maybe? She hoped so, his single-minded intent to protect her, while a little sweet and very fascinating, was also proving devilishly inconvenient.

Shepard staggered a little as she pushed away from the wall and Garrus rushed toward her, casting a cautious glance over his back as he did so. Shepard leaned against him heavily, hoping that her full weight might keep him in place long enough for her to have a decent conversation.

"Can you get us out of here?"

"Cave is a very good position tactically speaking. Would be difficult to extricate you without harming subject."

"Mordin, his name is Garrus- not 'subject' "

"Of course. Was only speaking in interest of being brief."

"What's the solution then, assuming you have one?"

"Will try to synthesize turian breeding hormones, create a synthetic to dispel the primal state-"

"And in the meantime? I'm out of supplies, Mordin. I need provisions and water."

Miranda's voice floated up, "We didn't bring any food, somehow we were under the impression you would be coming back with us, Commander. I will leave a canteen here for you"

That took care of the water problem at least, but Garrus was flexing in a way that boded ill for a continued conversation.

"Well, Mordin?"

Silence greeted her, the sound of a throat clearing softly, "Possible that enhanced implants may permit limited ingestion of dextro protein."

Shepard pricked up, "Not a chance. I finished vomiting up what was left of breakfast about ten minutes after you arrived."

"Positive response, body recognizes it as toxin- dehydration poses greater risk. System still fully functional, you are not allergic. Will have 'solution' soon, Shepard. Adapt."

Shepard sputtered indignantly, "Not that easy, Mordin! I don't want to have to go through this every morning."

"Make do with available supplies, should provide sufficient nutritional value to sustain for a short period of time."

"Mordin, wait!" She could hear the gravel shifting once again as he abandoned her; Garrus pulled her close, nestling her under his protective arm, his growls subsided as the noise drew further away.

"This has got to be the worst mission we have ever been on. Bar none." Garrus nuzzled her softly, and Shepard leaned a cheek against him. Tonight would begin round two, and there was every chance of him winning again; Shepard contented herself with the thought of the running tally she was keeping for later reference.


	6. Chapter 6

As evening drew nearer Shepard found herself even more on edge; she had found a temporary solution to the problem of their force-feeding sessions, but there was every chance her 'solution' could strain their relationship when all this was said and done. It would be one thing for Garrus to ask her forgiveness for his conduct, if he was still reluctant to pursue a relationship after this little affair then she could call it quits; she would regret the loss, but it was better to keep her friend and lose a lover she never had.

For her conduct tonight there would be no such excuse; she could justify it however she liked, extenuating circumstances, sheer desperation, any number of things came to mind- the fact remained that she was in full possession of all her mental faculties and she had every intention of distracting Garrus with sex again tonight to avoid the dreaded dextro food. There would come a time when hunger would force her to eat it again, hoping against hope that Mordin was right and her body would derive at least some nourishment, but tonight she was tired and frustrated and annoyed with being Garrus' favorite play toy; it was his turn.

Garrus had ventured outside their little corner earlier this afternoon, scouting out the footprints of his former crew-mates, staring off in the direction they had taken with indecision in every line of his body. Shepard had called him back, making enough of a racket that the valley echoed with it; she had no real fear of attracting any predators, the landscape was open enough that they would see them coming from miles away and she still had enough clips for her pistol to raise a merry hell if any unexpected visitors dropped by Her greater concern had been that Garrus might very well hunt down his former crew-mates in some misguided attempt to protect them. Fortunately, out of sight did indeed mean out of mind, and Garrus had acquired the canteens while he was out there.

Logically she understood why they wouldn't come back with supplies, Garrus might let them leave once, given that their actions had not been remotely hostile but intruding on a predator's territory twice might be counted a threatening incursion and be interpreted as a challenge. If Mordin was right and this was some kind of primal mating ritual then he would be all the more sensitive to the presence of others around his 'nest', particularly when his injured 'mate' was in residence and especially when she wasn't fully cooperating with his courtship. Shepard found it in her to smile at that thought; of course they couldn't have a normal courtship with teasing flirtations or long conversations over dinner, there was no conversation at all and 'flirtation' wasn't the word for what they had done last night.

Well, there were no regrets on her part except her profound desire for her soft bed; she only hoped Garrus felt the same way when he came to. She heard him approaching softly, stepping lightly enough that she had to strain to catch the sound of his footsteps, she had known him for a professional, but his grace still managed to catch her off-guard sometimes. She turned and reached out to him, catching his hand and leaning heavily on it, not sure if she was doing so more for comfort or support. She'd gut Mordin if he showed up with his solution now and caught her in this position.

Garrus guided her back into the cave slowly, arranging her gently on the ground once more as he knelt behind her, combing his fingers through her hair once more to straighten it and pick out any dust or grit the wind had blown in; evidently this was going to be a nightly ritual, she didn't have any complaints though, it was curiously intimate and a little reassuring. When he had finished he moved in front of her, leaning back into her slightly and presenting his fringe expectantly.

Shepard frowned, this was new and she wasn't sure how to interpret it. How exactly did one care for a fringe? Her hair was a little different, being soft and malleable but his fringe? Hard and rough. She traced her nails along it gently, taking her cues from his soft purrs and nudges, trailing her fingers between the ridges to dislodge the dust and dirt until he leaned his head back farther, baring his throat to her trustingly. She sighed, "What am I going to do with you?" She stroked his neck softly, feeling the purr rumble through him.

Tempted beyond her will to resist, Shepard leaned forward to run her mouth over the roughened skin, feeling the vibration along the tip of her tongue. She nibbled slightly at the line of his throat, pleased at this show of trust. Her nails continued to run across his fringe, slipping down the back to dig into his shoulder plates, massaging softly. Garrus huffed and moaned, stretching his neck back farther for her wandering mouth. Shepard chuckled darkly as his talons traced over her temples to glide into her hair, mimicking her soothing motions on his shoulders. They had these moments at least, when talking wasn't necessary for communication and Shepard could forget even if only for a moment the dire straits they were in if Mordin's conclusions proved false.

She felt a little guilty taking advantage of Garrus' trust for her own ends, if she could continue this grooming session, make it into something more, then they could avoid a squabble over supper tonight. She didn't want to hurt him, but after the fiasco at breakfast and again at lunch today she found the idea was not as repulsive as it had been yesterday. Her fingers dug into his plates a little harder, sliding around to his front and down again to his chest, creeping up to follow the path of her teeth at his throat; it was intoxicating, the way he made himself so deliberately open to her. She started when he pushed her back from his neck, had she done something wrong? Made him nervous? Tipped him off to her pan? She relaxed again when he straightened up to draw her toward him, drawing her into his lap again; this was familiar, she recognized the gesture and approved.

A single talon ran from the dip of her throat down to the valley between her breasts, still farther to her stomach. Shepard leaned back against the wall, opening herself to his exploration. She sucked in a breath as he circled her belly button, tip of his talon only just grazing the inside; he studied her reactions, eyes wide and curious and Shepard found that she was blushing. Unusual for her, but his attention was fixed so obviously on her that his gaze alone seemed to be raising goosebumps all over; her condition was further exacerbated when he his tongue snaked out to follow her spreading blush, tasting her skin and rumbling softly. Shepard put out a hand to touch him but he caught it mid-motion and held it suspended there, thumb gliding over pulse. He pushed her arm back to the wall, watching for a moment to ensure she made no further attempts to move it. Shepard smiled, "Alright, this once; don't think you won't get yours, though."

Somewhere along the line this had turned into more than just an attempt to delay the inevitably horrid supper, but Shepard chose not to dwell on the permutations of that, particularly not when Garrus recommenced his exploration, thumbs lingering now on her hipbones, dipping into the hollow there and rubbing circles about her bones, contrasting her softness with her strength. His fingers moved around to the muscles in her abdomen, trilling softly as they twitched and shifted beneath his attentions.

Shepard's breath became shallow as she fought not to giggle, it would be a fine thing if he found out now that she was ticklish; that wasn't the sort of weakness to reveal to just anyone. He leaned forward to follow his fingers with his tongue, doubtless learning that little tidbit from her example; what had she been thinking? He was too clever by half, she lost her battle with herself and a strangled gurgle of laughter escaped her. Garrus paused, then cautiously licked the same area again, fingers trailing circles over her hipbones until she jumped, startled into brief laughter. He whistled questioningly, mandibles flickering in a way she had come to equate with pleased surprise. She wasn't sure if this would turn out to be a good thing or not; her fists clenched and unclenched nervously but she kept them still, she had promised that much for tonight and she was a woman of her word.

To her surprise, he chose not to torment her any further for the moment, and that made her wary; she didn't doubt he had tucked that information away somewhere for later reference. Were turians ticklish at all? Something equivalent that she could exploit to her advantage would not go amiss, but with the natural armor covering his body and his apparent appreciation for having his neck stroked she didn't think it likely. His hands moved up her ribcage to heft her breasts, he had caught on to her reactions rather quickly last night and it had proved an endless source of fascination for him.

He bent forward, taking her hardening nipple into his mouth to lave all around it, she felt one of his sharpened teeth just brush her and stiffened, groaning at the contact. His thumb traced over her other breast, hand palpitating it softly. She knew she must be rather… squishy by his standards and had, in her more sober moments, wondered if that might not put him off her permanently but no such thing seemed soon in coming. His face had been frankly puzzled, mandibles flickering in consternation when he equated her writhing and hitched breath as pleasure, but he had quickly caught on and it seemed he was eager to repeat the experience.

She arched into him, delighting in the feel of his rough plating against her sensitive flesh, and here she'd been worried chafing might be a bad thing. Garrus' hands left her breasts and Shepard whimpered at the loss, bridling slightly at the trill she had come to recognize as amusement; he wouldn't find this half so funny once she had him at her mercy, maker grant that would be soon. His tongue trailed down her body again to head toward her center and Shepard tensed, she couldn't allow that; it only made sense that Mordin's warning would go both ways.

When she saw what he intended she broke her silence, pushing him away with her hands. "Garrus, no." He must have heard the urgency in her voice because he pulled back, but the look he gave her was reproachful; she didn't care, it was her duty to be responsible for both of them. He moved back up her body and she put her hands back on the wall, watching him keenly for any more such attempts. He watched her questioningly as his talons dipped toward her center to brush along her slit. Her eyelids slid down slightly, her body relaxing once again after the brief scare.

His thumb traced circles about her clit, talon brushing directly over it so that she started, hips arching away from his touch; his finger dipped into her to draw out her wetness and circle it around her nub, leaving a tingling feeling that seemed to spread throughout her body from her head to the tips of her toes. She jerked when he slipped his finger in again, thumb massaging her clit until she bucked against him. He pressed into her harder, curling his talon up into her wall carefully and thrusting slightly, Shepard arched into his touch insistently, trying to draw him deeper and he complied, moving hard and fast against her so that she could feel the flex of his muscles.

She gasped as her release hit her, enjoying the shudder that ran through her body as her muscles tensed and relaxed alternately. She leaned back with a contented sigh, bringing her hands down from the wall but Garrus growled a soft warning and she held back as his hand began its work once again, perhaps her distraction had worked a little better than she intended this time, but her arms were getting tired and he was just going to have to get used to her exerting control once again; there was only room for one commander here.

She pushed him back, slipping her hands down to his hips quickly, scraping up his inner thighs until she found that intriguing gap once again; he thrust faster, thumb working her until it was all she could do to keep her mind on the task at hand, already over-sensitized yet craving the contact nonetheless. Her hand glided slowly into the gap, finding his base to stroke firmly up his length, Garrus moaned, mandibles flickering as his head fell back. One hand crept to her back, running up her spine so that she arched into his palm, she felt a spasm of pain and paused, she might have moved too fast that time, the first thing she would do once they were safely aboard the Normandy was ask Chakwas to work some of her magic, then she could get that hot shower and tie Garrus to her bed for a few hours.

Garrus had paused at her pained expression, recognizing the different quality of her gasp, but when she began to rock again he resumed, bucking into her firm hand, his jaws opening and closing. She would have given anything to be able to take him into her mouth at that moment, but that would spell disaster, so she contented herself with stroking her calloused hands even faster, a second joining the first to massage the base while the other kept up the rhythmic action. He gasped, eyes going wide as he came and she felt herself responding to the sight. Her eyes flickered shut as she felt the first wave hit, more intense than the last. His fingers slipped from her and she lamented the loss, but smiled when he pressed his talons to her lips again; that too had become tradition, a safe alternative and she was finding it far hotter than she should.

His other hand twined in her hair and she leaned back into it, only to gag as he slipped a morsel into her mouth. Fuck! That clever Bastard! A damn tactician to the end, it seemed they had both been playing a game tonight and she wasn't quite read to resist. She resigned herself to eating for now, Mordin had said there was a chance her body could adapt, but that would only happen if she gave it a chance.

That thought made her pause, if her body could adapt to dextro protein could she..? Could they…? That was a question she didn't relish posing to the good doctor, maybe if the food stopped bothering her so much she could test out her theory before they boarded the ship again. Yes, Garrus was really In for it this time. She'd show him why she was accounted one of the best Commanders in the fleet; she'd teach him a thing or two about strategy at the earliest opportunity.


	7. Chapter 7

It had been five days, two hours and a handful of minutes of minutes since Garrus had lost his mind and stranded them on this barren rock; not that she was obsessively keeping track or anything. Shepard was just doing her best to keep an eye on his condition, for any future reports Dr. Mordin might like to make in the future; science could excuse a multitude of sins she was finding. Such as her current thoughts on how to test out her newfound potential dextro immunity.

It had been grueling for the first couple days as she desperately tried to hold out on eating only to have Garrus intervene and force a little nourishment on her; she had been reluctant to attempt adapting to her new diet even after Dr. Mordin's comments on the necessity of adaptation. By the evening of the second day she was hungry enough to consider eating without Garrus' attentions, much to his evident surprise. It had been a long night and she had used up most of their water just trying to stay hydrated after vomiting up a good portion of her stomach's contents. It was fortunate that Garrus had managed to scavenge some form of moisture during the nights that didn't do any more good for her constitution than his blasted rations. It was potable, but only just.

The minute she was back aboard the Normandy she was going to down several bottles of precious, life-giving water while the crew stared in consternation; no whiskey, brandy, beer or exotic drinks for her, just the sweet wetness of water. Shepard smacked her lips at the thought and Garrus rumbled in his sleep, turning toward the sound; she quieted and leaned back against him, content to sit in his presence while she evaluated the risk and potential pay-off of her scheme.

Four days ago Mordin had assured her that he would begin work on a synthetic substitute for the turian bonding hormone; it couldn't be easy, but the lack of contact since had her on edge and she had decided she would try just about anything to get them back on track again even if it meant just a bit of danger. Like any good leader she would of course accept the consequences herself be they good or bad.

The idea had first occurred to her last night as she drifted off to sleep in his arms after yet another satisfying tumble, and in the stark light of day it certainly didn't seem much worse.

The third day she had noticed that while there were a few vomiting fits and a severe case of nausea she had managed to keep down the majority of her food, by the fourth day her vomiting had turned to heaving and her nausea into a vicious headache, when she had taken her first bite today there had been only the slightest upset. If she were right, then Mordin's prediction had proved true and her body was adapting to this new diet with a minimum of fuss. It seemed Cerberus might have done some good with all that tampering and mucking about inside her, though she wasn't keen on examining that thought closely.

The only way to tell for sure would be if she could get some idea of the changes in her body, was she merely becoming accustomed to the food or had she been altered in any way? Shepard had been a soldier for her entire adult life, but she understood the nature of scientific inquiry: It began with a hypothesis that could be tested with a series of experiments.

If, say, she could 'ingest' without suffering shock then that might be the first clue that her body's chemical make-up was changing. Shepard gave a small smile, she knew full well there were holes the size of her ship in her reasoning and method, but it would be a fun theory to test out permitted it didn't end in her horrifying death. And if she survived this particular experiment there were a whole battery of further tests they could run together. Shepard's sneaking smile broadened into an impish grin as she leaned down to shake Garrus awake only to reconsider; she could think of better ways to wake him up this morning.

Garrus snarled softly and tightened his arm about her waist as she shifted around; she held her breath until he subsided again. When he refused to move his arm despite her squirming, she pulled at his mandibles playfully, chuckling as he reached up to bat her hand away; moments like these would be her fondest memories when all this was over. She scraped her hands down his plates as she slowly crept down the length of his body, lingering at his waist and hips to explore the areas she had always been in to much of a hurry to pay enough attention to. With Garrus sleeping now rather than staring at her with those intense and pleading blue eyes she found her work much easier.

When she pulled her hand away for a moment to find her balance Garrus gave a disappointed huff, arching to keep contact with her, attempting to curl about her body once again only to be thwarted by her new position. One eye opened to regard her, watching with interest as she crept ever lower; one hand reached out to run a talon up her spine and through her hair, Shepard paused to appreciate the sensation before continuing her work. She kneaded his plates roughly, smirking as he shifted to follow her hands, twisting slightly to give her better access.

Shepard leaned forward to trace her tongue in the tight opening of his plates and Garrus caught his breath, both eyes open and staring now with something like approval. His hand stroked through her hair once more and she sucked in a breath as he caught on a tangle; Garrus paused too when he noted her sudden stillness; with surprising gentleness he began to untangle the knot and Shepard waited patiently, enjoying these small intimacies.

She wasn't of a mind to wait long, she had been hoping to wake him some other way, but now that he was already awake there could be no harm in dabbling a little longer at her task.

Garrus froze when she went still lower, spreading his hips so that she could lie between them; he sat up slightly, pulling at her forearms in gentle remonstrance but she pulled away. This was her time and he was going to accept that. Providing Mordin didn't come through with some miracle cure sometime in the next ten minutes, Garrus could have all the time he wanted later; she was playing now.

Garrus' head fell back as her hot, panting breath lingered near that intriguing gap in his armor; she traced her tongue between the plates teasingly, catching the salty taste of flesh on her tongue. The sound he made at her gesture might best have been described as surprise; his hands scrabbled in the dirt at his sides and Shepard thought she might be able to get used to this. How much better would it be when they had a soft bed at their disposal, his talons tearing into the sheets, the blessed softness and absence of pebbles. They had both done their part to rid their impromptu shelter of debris, but she could still feel a few pebbles digging into her skin here and there, she pushed the thought from her mind.

Garrus bucked hard as she lapped at the juncture again, sucking lightly along the area; she could feel the plates spreading to allow her access and pushed her fingers in, twisting them softly. Garrus huffed, when she glanced up she found his eyes fixed on her with fascination written plainly in his gaze, he arched up to run a talon down her jawline lovingly and Shepard leaned into the caress for only a moment, glad to see a brief flash of the Garrus that she was so used to working with, her good friend.

The next moment she had leaned in once again, seeing his length extending through the slit in the plates. She leaned forward to run her tongue under it, taking encouragement from Garrus' strangled cry, his talons scraped against the ground once more as his mandibles flickered in what she deduced must be stunned disbelief; it was an expression she hadn't seen before, but Garrus' movements indicated she should continue. She pulled him into her mouth, running down his length and tasting a hint of sweetness; some distant part of her mind registered that this would be the moment of truth, but she was too absorbed in what she was doing to pay it much heed.

She pulled away and Garrus growled in frustration, that seemed to translate across species fairly well. Shepard laughed outright and Garrus stilled, fixing her with a predatory glance that said clearly he was contemplating revenge; she looked forward to it- some other time. Her fingers curled about his base, massaging lightly as she continued her gentle assault; she could hear his talons scraping in the dirt and felt the flex of his muscles as he shifted his hips in time with her movements, she pulled back and ran her tongue about the slit, Garrus' breathing stopped for a split second and resumed with a panting rhythm that caused her own breath to come short.

She reached down to run her fingers over her clit teasingly, her rhythm becoming erratic as she felt her own release approaching; Garrus had stilled, muscles locking in place, she pulled him deep and began to hum softly. Garrus came with a cry as she pulled back, no use tempting fate exactly; she licked her lips as she moved her fingers faster, desperately seeking the friction that would allow her to join him, she snarled when Garrus' hand knocked hers away.

Garrus snarled right back at her when her now free hand rose to her breast to pluck at a nipple; he turned her slowly onto her back, baring her to his gaze. She jumped when he leaned down, his tongue snaking out to trace between the valley of her breasts descending swiftly toward her center. She grabbed at his fringe, pulling half-heartedly in some vague attempt to make him stop, "Garrus, no." Just because she wasn't showing any sort of symptoms didn't mean there wouldn't be any consequences and she would just as soon he didn't end up facing the same situation.

She pushed him back gently and he stilled, locking eyes with her. Her hand rose to trace over the scar on one side of his face; he had once remarked that some women, most notably krogan, found scars attractive, and while she regretted his pain she had to admire this outward sign of his courage. She shook her head to clear it, there was a very good reason she was stopping him, but when his tongue curled about her fingers like that she couldn't quite summon up the will to resist him.

When her eyes fluttered shut he pulled away quickly, as though he sensed her indecision and sought to turn the tide in his favor; she arched and gasped as she felt his tongue run along her slit and she thought she could hear a faint answering purr. She writhed when she felt his tongue enter her, more flexible than a human's tongue, evidently; she felt her fingers curl into his fringe as he targeted her nub, tracing around it but refusing to give her what she so clearly wanted. She moved against his mouth desperately, feeling his talons pricking into her hips as he held her steady. Why had they waited so long? She cried out as he ran his tongue over her clit slowly, savoring her spasmodic twitching, she scraped her fingernails over the sensitive skin at his nape and felt his hum of contentment in every fiber of her body.

His hands moved beneath her to spread her hips still farther, tilting her toward him as she felt the first ripples of her climax; her breath came short as he pushed his tongue into her to feel every last spasm, extending her orgasm until finally she went limp, Garrus still slowly tonguing her. Shepard winced, pushing him away insistently; she hissed in disappointment and relief as he finally stilled, a question on his face for those that could read it. She smiled tiredly, reaching out to trace the contours of his face; they had only just risen, but she found she wouldn't have objected to a little cuddling and maybe a brief nap; it had been too long since she had last had the luxury of a nap.

As though he could read her thoughts, Garrus moved up slowly and pulled her into his arms as he laid down once more, tucking her head into the curve of his neck where she dozed quietly, a smile still hovering about her lips even in sleep.

She woke slowly, hearing Garrus shuffling softly about the cave, she propped herself on an elbow to look over at him; as she rose her hand knocked against a pile of rocks, tumbling them over. Shepard frowned, those definitely hadn't been there when she'd gone to sleep roughly… an hour ago judging from the sunlight slanting through the cave's mouth.

Garrus practically scurried over, rearranging the rocks fussily in their little pile all the while giving her a look that practically begged for her approval. She looked from his face to the rocks and back again, his chest was puffed out as though he had accomplished a worthy task indeed. Shepard reached out to pick up one of the rocks tentatively, turning it over in her fingers as she sought some special purpose or property. She squinted slightly, tracing the darker veins that seemed to run through the stone, chipping at some of the dust that coated it beneath that she found a rather pretty hue of crystal, somewhere between pink and orange.

She smiled reassuringly at Garrus though inside she was fretting; Shepard wasn't quite sure what she had been expecting, some sort of miraculous reawakening would have been preferred, at least a notable change in behavior, but if it was not to be then she would take whatever was offered.

Garrus nudged the pile of stones toward her and Shepard selected a couple more with a heavy heart, she had dreamed that they were back aboard the Normandy swapping jokes as he recounted what exactly had been going through his head this entire time. He'd assured her that all was forgiven and she in turn had apologized for the part she played, both agreeing that next time a little more back-up might be advisable.

Somehow she had thought that Garrus would wake her with a few whispered words and they could pack up their gear and be gone before the sun began to fall. Instead she had awoken to courting gifts; she smiled wryly, they were pretty at least; it seemed Garrus had an eye for sparkling things that he hadn't chosen to share with her. She would have to be sure to rib him about his excellent taste in "gemstones", maybe offer a few of her own in return. Speaking of, did he expect anything in return?

She turned to look back at him, once again chipping industriously away at the walls, it seemed that with all their pressing needs attended to he was now applying himself to drudging up a few little luxuries. She winced as she pushed herself to her feet, Garrus caught the gesture from the corner of his eye and bounded back to assist her, she reached toward the thin blanket lying on the ground and Garrus dove for it immediately, tucking it about her conscientiously. Shepard nodded her thanks absentmindedly; they would not be staying in this cave another night, regardless of what Garrus thought on the matter. She would drag him back to the ship by his fringe if she had to but they were going home.

Her resolve wavered somewhat when she saw the steep drop from the cave, that would be tricky to navigate in her condition with Garrus resisting the entire way. Given his reaction to her other brief forays she didn't think he would be any more keen on this one; he was watching her again, she could have sworn she caught a brief flicker of hurt as it crossed his face before it was replaced by a challenge. She had never been able to resist challenges. Shepard took a step closer to the edge and Garrus turned to face her completely, loosening his shoulders.

"Don't push me, Garrus. I'm not in the mood." She reached out to the wall, lowering herself and placing a foot carefully outside the entrance, turning her body sideways. She had always found the best way to get down from a height was to go down sideways, shuffling when necessary; in this case she would literally need to put her best foot forward, now if only she could find a way to make Garrus follow her.

"Shepard!" Shepard jumped and felt the terrain shift beneath her, she flinched when Garrus darted toward her, snarling at the sound of an intruder.

This wouldn't end well.

"Damn it, Miranda! Did you have to provoke him?"

Truthfully she was pathetically relieved; the cavalry had arrived- if Miranda was daring to venture this close to Garrus' nesting grounds then Mordin's work must be done. She could practically feel the warm spray of that shower now, she just had to focus a moment longer.

Garrus had bounded rapidly down from the cave, he paused for a moment to check Shepard's balance, mandibles flickering in a threat when he perceived Miranda. Shepard was just grateful that her gun didn't clear its holster, thank the maker for cool heads, Garrus certainly wasn't making it easy for her. He hissed deep in his throat as his mandibles flared, talons spread in a gesture that Miranda should have no problem interpreting.

"I take it he's still not himself?"

"What do you think?" Shepard snapped peevishly; she slid down a few inches from the opening, Garrus holding her arm in a grip that was just short of painful; he tugged slightly and she lost her breath, black dots dancing in her eyes as her weight shifted to the wrong leg. She took advantage of his momentary loosening to twist her arm from his grip.

"Shepard, stay where you are; I will come to you. I have a syringe here. Can you administer it?"

"If you can get past one pissed-off turian with a mean bite then sure, I'd be happy to."

Miranda approached cautiously, eyes never leaving her crew-mate, "Mordin's here too, he seemed to think a female would stand a better chance of getting past his guard undetected."

"Good to know, but I can't keep him here forever." Shepard shifted into his path as he went to move past her, she linked her arm in his and held tight, gritting her teeth as willed Miranda to hurry. "How much do you weigh anyway, Vakarian? Better lay off the sweet stuff is all I'm saying," She muttered; her blanket slipped from her shoulders to fall to the ground and Shepard sighed, it was a miracle she had managed to keep it even this long and she couldn't very well stoop to pick it up. There were more important things going on here.

Garrus broke her grip and charged Miranda to swipe at her. Shepard called out a belated warning, scrambling to get down the hillside, grabbing at any available support. Garrus turned to look at her as she gave a particularly loud cry and Miranda swept in under his guard to jam the syringe between the gaps in his plate near his neck. Shepard winced in pained sympathy, she had never been much for needles herself. Garrus snarled and cuffed Miranda, who spun with the force of the blow and fell to her knees.

A shot rang out, raising the dust around the combatants as the bullet thudded harmlessly into the dust. Both Miranda and Garrus started, but Shepard could see Garrus' balance was off. How fast did that stuff work? Had they overdosed him? What if he was allergic?

Mordin rounded the rocks and bounded up the hill to her side, thoughtlessly offering his arm; Shepard wondered if Miranda had coached him on that, he did seem eager to get to Garrus.

"Go. I'll join you in a minute." Clearly he needed no further prompting, dropping her arm to run toward his team-mates; Shepard just made it to level ground when Garrus finally stopped flailing and fell at their feet, panting softly. The look he gave her was one of such utter fear for her sake that she felt the sting of tears in her eyes.

She knelt, disregarding her nudity completely as she brushed a comforting hand across the damaged side of his face; "We're fine, Vakarian. I promise."

Miranda dropped another blanket about her shoulders; "This sun can be punishing, Commander."

Shepard turned to look up to Mordin, "Is that the antidote?"

"Strong sedative. "Antidote" is not the word, more of a chemical treatment, will administer aboard the Normandy. Must monitor vitals."

Shepard stood, "Any idea how we're going to get him back?"

"Have arranged for pick up not far from here. Estimated time fifteen minutes."

"Then let's go." Shepard looked to them for help as they maneuvered Garrus' heavy body; Mordin and Miranda supporting his weight as Shepard limped behind, lost in thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Shepard glanced at Garrus' still form worriedly; he was still breathing deep and evenly, his vitals were all within an acceptable range but she found she was feeling wary- what would he think of all this when he woke up, assuming he even had the memories?

She winced, "Watch where you're sticking that thing, Doctor."

"It's a hypodermic syringe not a "thing", Commander."

Shepard smiled wryly at Dr. Chakwas, "In your hands it ought to qualify as a lethal weapon."

"I'll take that as a compliment, Shepard."

Shepard watched her blood flow into the vacuous tube curiously; it certainly didn't look any different, but Mordin had insisted that in order to cope with the dextro protein her body must have undergone some sort of change and she hadn't even told him of her latest activities. She glanced back at Garrus again; this would all be so much easier when she had a chance to speak to him, she hoped the doctors would take a cue and leave when he began to stir.

"Shepard, we need to get your leg properly splinted; Garrus is safe in Dr. Mordin's care for now."

"Affirmative. Best to accompany Dr. Chakwas, will keep an eye on him."

Shepard glared, "No funny business, Mordin. Wait until he's awake and consenting to run your tests."

 _Awake and consenting_ , that sent a wave of guilt crashing through her; she hadn't really bothered with consent when running her "tests" either; the fact that he had been an eager participant aside, she had taken advantage of his state and sooner or later she was going to have to confess; she didn't know what she'd do if he gave her that betrayed look like the one he'd shot her when Miranda had first injected him, seeing that once had been enough for one lifetime.

Shepard allowed Dr. Chakwas to help her to feet, leaning heavily but stubbornly directing her where to go and constantly trying to increases their pace. Dr. Chakwas stopped out in the hallway. "Enough, Shepard. Don't push too hard; I need time to evaluate the damage and you will only make it worse if you keep abusing yourself like this."

Shepard sighed and nodded, recognizing good sense when she heard it even if it was unpalatable. "There's more than just this weighing on your mind, Shepard; if you need to talk, I am accounted a good listener."

There was a subtle question beneath the words that Shepard chose to ignore, wanting only to be left alone with her thoughts; what if Garrus woke up without her? Would he be distressed or relieved? Shepard shook her head, looping her arm about Dr. Chakwas once again as they set off at a crawling pace.

"Do you know, I'm not certain we have any crutches aboard. I think you may have to make do with a cane."

"A cane! I'm not some little old lady, I've been managing well enough this far."

"It will heal faster if you don't put so much weight on it all the time-"

"Are you calling me fat?"

"Commander, you are determined to take offense where none is intended."

"Sorry." Shepard mumbled sheepishly.

"You've had a trying week."

"You don't know the half of it." Shepard mumbled, staring disheartened at the floor.

Dr. Chakwas sighed deeply, whatever was bothering her it was clear she was going to have to work it out herself.

Shepard tested out the new splint gingerly, a vast improvement over her impromptu bandaging planet-side; Dr. Chakwas was a wonder. With a light pain-killer in her system and a not too terrible cane in hand she felt a little more herself.

She made her way back to the central med-bay quickly, hoping that Garrus would have roused by now so that they could discuss exactly what they were after all this. Was it selfish of her to hope that he would continue to acknowledge her as something more than a friend? Even a- she swallowed hard, a blush rising up to her ears, even a mate?

She was bound for disappointment, when she arrived Dr. Mordin was looking her over her blood test results, Garrus still resting behind him.

Mordin seemed to sense that she was on edge, he nodded reassuringly toward the bed, "Not a matter for concern; exhausted after overcoming the primal state. Should wake refreshed within the next three hours. Treatment appears to be having desired effect."

"Glad to hear it. You think he'll remember anything?"

"Difficult to tell, but no reason he would not. Joker is looking for you."

Of course.

She ignored the information for now, choosing instead to go to Garrus' bedside, fanning her fingers over his scar once more, he turned toward her touch in his sleep and she felt a smile on her lips; perhaps all was not lost.

"Shepard, would like to discuss test results when you return. Certain anomalies to go over, further tests to run."

Shepard hurried from the med-bay as fast as her cane would take her, not wanting to be caught up in the Doctor's tests just yet.

"Joker, you wanted to see me?"

"Miranda said you had a cane-"

"Get to the point or I will beat you with it." Shepard smiled to take the sting from the words, but Joker swallowed and leaned back.

"Just wanted to know where we're off to next." He blushed slightly, tapping the arms of his chair nervously. "Now seems like a good chance for shore leave; I mean, with your busted leg you probably don't feel up to anything too strenuous right?"

Shepard rolled her eyes, the hope in his voice was plain. He was right, though; it had been too long since they'd had any time off. "Why not? I leave the decision in your capable hands. Anywhere but the Citadel, I couldn't deal with that just now." She turned to go, but was stopped at Joker's tentative words.

"Commander, are you alright?"

"Fine." She turned to go again, but Joker caught her wrist quickly, "And Garrus?"

"We're both fine, don't worry about it."

"It's just… you were gone a long time you know? Without any contact, had me worried for a while- all of us."

"I'm back now. No more half-assed missions. Promise." Shepard threw a mocking salute and walked off once more, glad that he didn't call her back this time but only stared after her questioningly.

Her omni-tool beeped and Shepard jumped, flicking it on absently as she continued on her way to the infirmary. "Shepard, results are in. Would like to talk in med-bay."

"I'm already on my way."

Shepard did her best to look surprised when Dr. Mordin informed her that her chemistry had altered sufficiently to allow her to derive nutrients from Garrus' dextro, meals. It was an ability that could be lost if she did not take care to maintain; assuming Garrus was amenable she had every intention of preserving it. Something in her face must have given her away because Mordin had stopped talking and was watching her closely for a reaction.

"Shepard… not much data on turian mating rituals, did anything untoward occur?"

Shepard blinked, "Such as?"

"Apologies, will speak plainly. Were you injured, did Garrus force his attentions?"

Shepard sputtered indignantly, "Absolutely not! Nothing happened; we sheltered there for a few days, got along fine and now we're back. It's over."

Dr. Mordin sighed, "Garrus recognized you as his mate, not over. Not now."

Shepard shook her head, "I think in this case you're wrong, Doctor. Nothing "untoward" occurred."

"Of course, Shepard. Better to keep watch after he's awake; determine which symptoms linger."

"How much longer until he wakes do you think?"

"Not long now. Not long. Would be best if you were here, covered in his scent."

Shepard blanched, Mordin could tell that? Who else? None of the humans, surely. Garrus, Garrus would know. She swallowed nervously, she had to be here so she could see his reaction and decide exactly how many apologies and explanations were owed. Not too many, she hoped. None at all would be preferable, but she didn't think Garrus would immediately adapt to their new roles. Before nature had had its way, so to speak, Garrus had seemed pretty adamant that he didn't have a thing for humans. Hopefully their interlude had changed his mind but she could be patient.

Shepard made her way to his bedside once more, gazing down at his sleeping face. It felt strange not to be in his arms as he slept and she wondered how she would adapt to sleeping alone once more. Not terribly well, she suspected. Once more couldn't hurt, surely; she gestured Mordin from the room grateful that he left willingly and curled up next to Garrus on the bed, basking in his warmth. His arm curled about her sleepily and she lay there, content in her lover's arms.

Garrus tightened his arms around the comfortable weight that rested in his embrace, breathing in her familiar scent as he felt his muscles relaxing as though after a great strain. She'd been gone too long, but it was fine now that she was back with him. He burrowed his nose in her soft fringe, noting the clean, sweet smell and delighting in the smooth texture. He froze; warm weight, familiar scent, soft fringe. This was… Shepard. For a moment he began to relax again only to tighten like a bowstring. The hell was Shepard doing in his bed? His eyes flickered open, hands running down her vulnerable form in a panic.

Spirits, he hadn't hurt her had he? She smelled of his bonding hormones. What had he done? Was she alright? He jerked away from her, piling the blanket on her protectively as she roused, fierce and battle-ready.

"Spirits, Shepard. I'm sorry!"

Some niggling thought in the back of his mind supplied their location; they were secure in the Normandy's infirmary, alone. She had been resting in his arms, comfortably asleep until he had awoken panicking. Maybe this wasn't what he had first thought, but why was his scent all over her?

Shepard's eyes widened in surprise and joy, "Good to see you awake again, Vakarian. You gave us a scare."

Garrus automatically stepped toward her, but then pulled back; he needed to know all the details of this situation before he could make a tactical assessment. His eyes flew to her damaged leg, her hand resting on the bed-frame for support. He held out a hand tentatively, careful to keep the gesture as non-threatening as possible. She had probably been through enough.

He winced when Shepard paced to the wall instead, taking a cane from the corner and leaning on it. He could see a bruise on her shoulder, multiple nips all along her neck that must surely have been painful and yet she didn't seem to fear him. That was Shepard, fearless to the point of folly at times, but always concerned with the well-being of her crew. Garrus closed his eyes and drew a deep breath; she couldn't even bear to touch him, preferring the support of her cane. The turians had abandoned their gods long ago, but he beseeched any listening beings to grant him forgiveness.

Since she was acting normal it would be best if he copied her attitude, they could discuss his conduct whenever she was ready. He swallowed nervously, "How long was I out?"

"Sleeping? Almost a day. You've been "out" for almost a week now."

A week? Why the hell hadn't they taken her away sooner? He knew the answer, it was there for any turian to smell. He would never have surrendered his mate willingly and it would have meant death for them to try taking her.

"I see. How did you manage?"

Shepard flinched slightly and Garrus felt a bolt of pain shoot through him at the sight; he'd have given anything for the assurance that she was truly alright and this wasn't some act to placate him.

" _We_ managed fine, Garrus. We're a team, right? You didn't think I'd have left you out there on your own?"

"No, of course not." He essayed a reassuring smile. That was exactly the problem, she would never have left him because as far as she was concerned he was family. She would have done about anything for him and counted her losses a fair exchange. That was what was eating him up inside, how far had she gone to save him this time?

Shepard took a cautious step forward, watching him as though he were some sort of predator that might set on her at any minute, well he hadn't exactly done anything to allay that fear had he?

"Garrus, we need to talk about what happened out there. I think it might… change some things."

His heart was dying in his chest, he bowed his head; "Of course, Shepard."

Shepard stepped back from him, eyes glinting suspiciously- anger or tears?

"We can do this later, I have work to attend to. You'd better rest, Vakarian."

He stepped forward, arms stretched out pleadingly, but she had already turned her back. She paused at the door and faced him, noting that he was still frozen there. "Call it an order if that makes it any easier." And she was gone.

Nothing had changed, damn it. Nothing at all.

Shepard hobbled away from the med-bay as fast as her legs would carry her, which was to say a little faster than a snail she thought irritably. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, cursed if she'd let them fall though; she'd known the risk and gone ahead with it- her dues were paid.

It had hurt when he'd pulled away from her, gods it had hurt, but she'd tried to assert some control over the situation, all to no avail. He hadn't come any nearer, had even pulled away just when it looked like he might approach, and the way he had distanced himself from her when he was speaking: "how did you manage" indeed! As though they hadn't been through it together, as though she would have left him there and fended for herself.

Shepard growled in frustration, what had finally ended it for her was that defeated slump to his shoulders when she'd suggested they discuss the situation; it was plain he didn't want to and why would he? His feelings were plain, he really hadn't been joking about looking closer to home but like a fool she had pushed it, a strategical miscalculation she assured herself; they were still a team. Shepard and Vakarian were not so easily separated, but the chances of ever being anything more looked decidedly slim from her angle; he wouldn't trust her again, and maybe she deserved that.

A very vocal part of her subconscious, the rash and brazen part of her she had to fight to suppress, wanted to storm back into that infirmary, slam him against the wall and tell him just where he could get off; preferably while getting him off. That would truly be the end of it, she wasn't about to go so far but the urge was harder to fight than she was entirely comfortable with, Garrus had always brought out her darker side, what harm in letting him deal with the consequences? No. Absolutely not. She wasn't some depraved monster bent on forcing the crew to her will, she was better than that. She was.

She ached and it was more than just her leg; she punched the button in the elevator to go to her quarters, hoping against hope that he might bolt from around the corner and stop the doors from closing, push his way in beside her and declare that they were going to talk out their dilemma like grown adults and then adjourn to her quarters to explore this "mating" idea in more thorough detail.

The doors closed without any hindrance and Shepard leaned back against the railing, she stared up at the ceiling, willing the contraption to move faster so she could file her report and crawl into bed for an uninterrupted night's sleep. A single tear beaded in the corner of her eye and she wiped it angrily away, sleep was exactly what she needed; tomorrow she would find Garrus at his calibrations and they would have it out then and there, no more delays.

Shepard keyed open the release to her cabin and stepped inside. It was good to be home, aside from her shower and a quick nap she hadn't spent much time in here at all; thank goodness Kelly had looked after the fish. She tapped the glass softly, watching them swim away; seemed no one wanted to be too close right now.

Shepard shook her head, that wasn't fair and for all her complaints about Garrus' attitude she wasn't much better; throwing a temper tantrum like a willful child when there was work to be done. She moved over to her desk, propping the cane against it as she sat down to write that report. Her head was pounding viciously but she pushed it aside, setting stubbornly to work. She would forget this until tomorrow morning, give Garrus some time to acclimate and make some very important decisions, then they could decide together what to do from here.

Garrus couldn't sleep; he'd tossed and turned for nearly two hours now, rolling from one side to the other, curling or uncurling, even pulling his pillow close and trying to pretend it was Shepard, her scent still lingered faintly on the fabric but nothing worked.

He wasn't fooling anyone, least of all himself; he had to know what had happened on that planet when he'd lost himself to rage, Shepard could fill in the dark spots he knew and he feared he just wouldn't be able to comply with her orders until she had done so.

Looking back on it in the cold light of logic it seemed unlikely that he would harm her; the 'primal state' as Dr. Mordin had called it, had been designed to aid in the protection of one's mate, by that reasoning wouldn't it have prevented him from hurting her? Besides, she was Commander Shepard; it was easy to forget sometimes that just because she was friendly and playful with him didn't mean she couldn't turn killer in a second flat when threatened. If he'd made a move she didn't like she would have kicked his ass into the middle of the next cycle; or at least she would have if she hadn't been injured, and therein lay the crux of the matter.

He pushed himself up from bed, stomping toward the door as he rehearsed what he was going to say; should he be apologetic or matter-of-fact? Should he ask to speak to her in a public area or presume to enter her sanctum? The choice was already made he knew, but thinking of the many ways it could play out, devising a strategy for each one kept him calm.

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach her level and he found his foot tapping nervously, still frantically searching for the right words to say. He would almost feel better if she punished him, then at least he would know that justice had been done; some traitorous part of him wished that she would still want to pursue that relationship they had been dancing around before this… mess. That seemed unlikely, whatever feelings she might have had for him he had probably killed with his selfishness, but it didn't stop him from hoping.

He hesitated outside her door for a minute, resting his head against the cool steel as he steadied his breathing; he punched at the entry timidly, straightening his back and bracing his shoulders as he strode inside.

She lay face-down on the desk, arms sprawled out to either side and neck resting at an unnatural angle, he went cold with fear before she came awake, scrabbling at her holster for a gun she had long since put away. She relaxed when she saw her visitor, and that gave him hope that perhaps all was not lost.

"Garrus. Come in." She raised her brows at him, sarcasm dripping from every word. Garrus winced, "Shepard, I wanted to talk to you."

"Didn't I order you to rest?"

"And I did, but I'm up now and we have a lot to go over." He drew a breath, "starting with whatever I might have done to you. Shepard, I'm sorry; I wasn't myself, I-"

He spread his arms helplessly, voice lowering until it was only just above a whisper, "I would never intentionally hurt you."

Shepard frowned, "No one said you had." She slumped in her chair dispirited, "The opposite in fact. I took advantage."

Garrus could've sworn his heart skipped a beat. Had Shepard just admitted to "taking advantage" of him? As in, deliberately provoking him to mark her?

"I see. Shepard?"

Her voice was hoarse, "Yes?"

"Did you… Did we…?"

Shepard glanced up at him with bitter disappointment in her eyes, "I'm sorry, Garrus. At first I was honestly just trying to keep you calm; I was hoping it might bring you back to yourself."

"At first?" His mouth was dry with excitement and he could feel an edge of arousal in it, a glimmering hope that they might fix this after all. His eyes darted toward her bed but he pulled his gaze stubbornly back to her; there were more important things to deal with. He had to know that she was comfortable with the idea of being his mate and not just struggling with her own feelings of guilt.

"You didn't exactly put up a fight. I know it was instinct but when Mordin said it was essentially courtship behavior I just got a little carried away."

"Shepard, enough."

Shepard looked up, eyes narrowing dangerously. "I decide when I've said enough, Garrus-"

She cut off, her gaze dark with surprise as she finally recognized the rumble in his voice and her breath came faster seeing the intent in his movements.

He stalked toward her slowly, voice dropping to that rumbling growl she had come to recognize over these last few days, "I didn't force you? You were willing?"

Shepard swallowed as her tongue snaked out to wet her suddenly dry lips, Garrus sucked in a breath at the gesture. "Didn't I just say so?"

Garrus blinked disbelievingly, coming another step nearer; Shepard leaned back in her chair and grabbed the arms in a death grip. "Shepard, do you know the significance of that?"

"I get the feeling you're going to enlighten me." She felt a smirk growing at the corner of her lips entirely against her will, "You accepted my courtship, Shepard."

"I suggested it, _Garrus_. You were the one that backed down; I believe the reason sighted was the uncertainty of inter-species relations?"

"Irrelevant."

"Finally; to think it only took a week to convince you of that. Stop right there." Shepard held out a hand and Garrus' mandibles flickered in surprise.

"We've established that I haven't… raped you. We've decided that your courtship is accepted so on and so forth, but you haven't really asked me my opinion on the matter."

She caught the uncertainty in his posture as he readied himself to step back. "Not so fast, Vakarian. I'm not done with you yet."

He clearly recognized her intent from her tone, hackles rising in playful threat as he pushed her boundary, edging forward slightly. Shepard smiled, "You gave me quite a scare out there; I wasn't sure when or if you were coming back and I promised myself a little retribution for all the times you forced that muck down my throat. It's your turn."

Garrus blinked in surprise, a new fear spreading across his face; maybe this really hadn't been the time to bring up the force-feeding sessions, but it was still a pet peeve of hers and she had promised.

"On your knees."

Garrus dropped to his knees immediately; it was just one of the things she loved about him, his willingness to trust her. "You know, you fed me that dextro stuff for five days regardless of what I said or did."

"Shepard, I-"

"I am talking; you will listen." Garrus fell silent, a shade of worry in his eyes that could not quite cover his excitement.

"Dr. Mordin says it may have permanently altered my system, provided I take care. I can… ingest dextro protein, even derive some nutritional value from it. That got me thinking about what else might have changed. Quite a bit, as it turns out."

Garrus was looking a question at her, "Trust me; I'll show you." Shepard undid the belt of her trousers slowly, unzipping them at an agonizing rate, Garrus found himself craning to see, silently willing her to strip them off completely. _Spirits_ , clearly she had decided underwear were unnecessary today; Garrus began to pant softly and Shepard smiled at him as she leaned back in the chair and spread her legs marginally, "Get these off me."

Garrus needed no further urging, crawling forward to slip his claws through the soft fabric, cutting it from her carefully.

"It took me ages to get these on the first time and now you've ruined them. What am I supposed to do for clothing?"

"Wear a dress; I've always been partial to that sexy little strapless Kasumi foisted on you."

"I concede that might have its own benefits." Shepard slid farther down the chair, her hands ghosting along the side of his face as he leaned into her caress, massaging behind his fringe as she pulled him to her. "I ate regardless of what I wanted; it's only fair you should return the favor."


	9. Chapter 9

Garrus locked eyes with her, half-puzzled by her mercurial mood; disappointed and upset at one moment, the next sweetly seductive. It didn't take him more than the space of a few seconds to decide he wasn't going to over- think it. Her fingers curled into his neck as his tongue snaked out to trace up her slit; a vague warning sounded but he silenced it, Shepard wouldn't put him in danger and he wasn't sure he could care if she did. He heard her breath catch and looked up once more, Shepard was staring at him as though she had never really seen him before; it was strangely empowering.

Shepard noticed how his mandibles flickered in satisfaction and the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, clearly he thought he was in control here and she was going to have to show him otherwise. Shepard ran her hands down his nape, scraping her nails against that sensitive skin until she felt him shudder, her fingertips felt the soft material of his shirt and she tugged insistently.

"Take this off." In answer Garrus circled his tongue around her clit and Shepard's head fell back, a pleasant tingle rushing up her spine. She pulled back, pushing him away, "I gave you an order, Vakarian. Insubordination will not be tolerated."

Garrus stopped, assessing her as though trying to decide how far she would be willing to go; evidently he found the answer because in the next moment he raked his talons down his shirt and discarded the material thoughtlessly.

"You really have something against clothes, don't you?"

Garrus chuckled warmly, "I'll get a new one, but I thought I should comply with your orders hastily."

"Good call." It was heartening just to be able to speak with him again rather than hearing his vocalizations and being unable to communicate anything herself. Part of her just wanted to keep him talking, but by far the greater part thought that tongue had a better use. She urged him back to her, fingers massaging his shoulders as her nails slipped between his plates to the skin beneath; she bucked when he wasted no time in applying himself to his task, licking deeply into her. She shuddered, her good leg wrapping around his back to hold him in place; when he laughed at her eagerness the vibration just about finished her then but she fought it off stubbornly.

Garrus seemed to sense her struggle, he chuckled again and licked a meandering path up her slit to the nub at the top, rough tongue brushing directly over it until she felt her toes curl. Her nails were clenched in the join of his plates, eyes fighting to stay open. He made eye contact with her, "Shepard, look at me."

Shepard bridled slightly, she was giving the orders now he had had his time. She shut her eyes firmly and couldn't help but smile when she heard Garrus' rumbling laugh; he wouldn't be laughing later, it would be a miracle if either one of them had the breath for it.

Shepard traced her hands back up to his fringe, holding him in place for fear that he might pull away in protest, but such was not his intent. As his tongue circled her clit she felt his finger gliding into her, mindful of her delicate skin but curving in just that way. Shepard's self-control deserted her as he began to thrust, she could feel his gaze on her and opened her eyes to find him staring up at her as he went about his task. That finished it, she trembled as her release snuck up on her; Garrus' tongue pushed into her center, lapping up her moisture greedily as she writhed in her chair. The lines of command were certainly blurred, but suddenly she couldn't find it in her to care much.

His talon circled the sensitized flesh of her clit as his tongue sought out every last bit of her; Shepard's fingers began to knead into him and Garrus hummed in contentment, setting off yet more tremors. Shepard winced, unable to prevent herself from bucking into him and chafing be damned. As she went to pull away his hands caught her hips to hold her there, tilting her up to him. "Garrus, enough."

Garrus growled and Shepard shuddered, this had to end before it got entirely out of hand; she pushed at him until he finally rocked backward on his feet, a stubborn glint in his eye.

"Your turn."

"I'm not finished with you yet."

"I was thinking the same thing myself."

Her predatory smile sent a shiver of anticipation through him, but he growled in confusion when she pulled away, evidently expecting him to move back. He stepped away from her chair as she got to her feet, once again ignoring his hand in favor of supporting herself on that chair. And now he was jealous of the furniture, wonderful; it had to be some lingering effect of the hormones that had been pumping through his body earlier, he was a rational being that did not want to rip a chair apart simply because she preferred to rest her weight there rather than on him.

She turned at his frustrated rumble, "Garrus, you alright?" Her smile turned teasing, "If you're too tired we can call it quits here, I'll understand."

If he were human, he would have kissed that smile from her face until she was breathless, he had finally discovered the use of that gesture; instead he stepped forward to press his forehead to hers, talons tracing over her neck until they tangled in the base of her fringe, baring her to his teeth. He licked a path down the line of her throat, nuzzling into the side and nipping roughly. Shepard bit at the skin of his own throat and Garrus practically purred, heart warming at the sound of her laughter.

She guided him back to the bed slowly, pushing him down to sit at the edge, still further until he was lying down. "This is going to be harder than I thought, rest assured that when Dr. Chakwas' contraption comes off I am going to drag you right back up here and start this all over again. Finish it, too." Her grin gave an entirely different meaning to the phrase and Garrus shivered in anticipation.

She climbed onto the bed beside him, "You know, I had plenty of time to explore while we were down there; I found a few intriguing things." His pupils were dilated and breathing was ragged, always a good sign.

Her hands ghosted down over his hips, nails tracing between the joining of his thighs teasingly, "things like this." Her hand pushed up into his most sensitive area and Garrus bucked against her as he felt her take him in hand.

"Fascinating, wouldn't you agree?" Damn her for being so coy, he bucked against her hand but she kept her grip light. Her lips moved up to his neck, her hot breath gliding over his sensitive ears, teeth following around the edges of his fringe. He panted desperately, writhing against her.

Finally she was persuaded to mercy, clasping him tightly as she ran her hand up his length, her other hand stealing in now to join the first at stroking him alternately so that he never had the chance to catch his breath. Something suspiciously like a whimper escaped him and Shepard smiled, "Poor Garrus, have I made it too _hard_ for you to keep up?"

Oh, he was going to get her; not now, but he would have his revenge and it would leave her screaming in pleasure. Shepard smiled as she felt the plates parting further, trailing her mouth back down to the juncture to catch him in her mouth. Garrus hissed and bucked against her, talons tangling in her soft fringe, careful not to hurt but desperate for her to continue. When would she take that damn shirt off? He wanted to feel her skin entirely against him; soft and yielding yet stronger than he would have guessed.

His body tightened when she lowered that clever mouth to envelope him in the wet heat, her tongue playing along his length as her hand continued to massage the base. Garrus' head fell back, thoughts of vengeance swiftly evaporating as she continued to play him. He wished he could remember exactly what they had been up to planet-side, she was far too familiar with this for it to have been her first time with him.

Garrus had spoken true when he said he wasn't particularly inclined toward humans, but for this particular human he had long since made an exception and this was every last fantasy come true. What had he been thinking to delay her for so long. His talons clamped in the flesh of her neck, feeling the muscles there move in tandem with her actions. Spirits, she was beautiful with her fringe falling into her face and a light blush in her cheeks.

He lost that thought too as she paused for a moment before pulling him deep, hands stealing up to clamp his waist and he was gone. Lost to her.

Shepard caught his eyes as she licked her lips languidly, "Fortunately for you there were some benefits to eating your rations."

Garrus winced, "Shepard, I'm sorry. I guess ins-"

"I wasn't looking for an apology, Garrus. Not a spoken one anyone. Actions speak louder than words, right?"

That intriguing blush disappeared beneath the fabric of her shirt and he found that he rather desperately wanted to see the extent of it. His talon pulled at the button of her shirt and Shepard laughed, leaning back to make it easier. He watched as she slowly undid the buttons, following his talon as he traced down the line of them.

"Humans make such asinine garments. So many little pieces to lose."

"I'm not going to- Garrus!"

"Might as well make the shirt and pants a pair again." Garrus seemed entirely unapologetic.

Shepard frowned at him, "I should make you sew every last button back on."

Garrus' hand dipped down to her breast, circling her nipple with a thumb, "If you insist, Shepard."

Shepard's eyes dilated until he was certain her iris would be devoured by the spreading blackness and his mandibles flared in satisfaction; it seemed his instinct was once again on the mark.

He pulled away suddenly and Shepard's eyes widened in shock as he turned her smoothly to her back, moving her up the bed gently. He glanced to her once for confirmation as his tongue laved her nipple throughly, talon tracing over the flesh of her breast; her breaths were coming in shallow pants that he took as an indication of pleasure, her hands fought to pull him closer using what leverage she had from her grip on his nape and he obliged, nipping the skin ever so carefully. Shepard hissed with pleasure, head falling back so that her fringe spread over the coverlet, a striking contrast against the white.

He traced his talon between the valley of her breasts and down to her stomach, mandibles flaring in delight as he felt her soft skin shifting with the movement of muscles beneath. She was truly amazing, steely strength concealed beneath a seemingly vulnerable exterior; he loved it. He loved her. Garrus stifled that thought quickly lest it should show in his eyes, "blow off some steam," she had said, not "make love." He had pushed her far enough just claiming her as his mate and wouldn't that just make it interesting if she ever decided to move on?

A wave of jealousy washed over him at the thought of her leaving, surely she wouldn't think to, knowing that she was his mate? She had accepted his courtship, it was as good as done but would she see it that way. He would just have to ensure that she never wanted to leave. His talon dipped inside her as his thumb circled the neglected nipple, twisting quickly until she arched against him.

He felt her wetness on his talon and pulled it from her, delighting in her disappointed whimper; he watched her face change to excitement as he brought the talon to his face, slowly licking the moisture from it. It seemed that blush really did go all the way down.

He smirked as he pushed his talon into her once again, tongue tracing patterns in her pale skin; she arched against him desperately but he wouldn't give her what she so clearly craved.

"Garrus," she panted.

""Yes, Shepard?" He stopped his ministrations to lock eyes with her.

"Please, Garrus. I need you."

His mandibles flickered swiftly, mouth coming down to press against her ear as his talon played around her clit. "How do you need me, Shepard?"

Shepard moaned, trying to tell him wordlessly but he would not have it. "How do you need me?"

"Inside me, damn you." He felt her hand grasping his length and his breath left him. Grasping her good leg he curved it about his waist, panting at the sensation as he pushed up into her.

Shepard cried out, writhing against him and Garrus found he could no longer hold back. Spirits, he had waited too long for this and the feel of her warmth around him was too much. His hand tightened on her hip as he pushed into her once more, enjoying the keening sound she made as he hand rose to grab at his nape, drawing him in so that her teeth clamped in his flesh. Garrus' hips moved faster, feeling her slide along the bed with the force of his movement, but still she encouraged him to move faster and harder, sucking now on the bruise her teeth had made.

She arched and he felt her convulsing around him; he continued to thrust and Shepard gasped, alternately pushing and pulling at his shoulders, hips writhing against him in a sporadic rhythm. Garrus' teeth closed about her neck, delighting in her surprised gasp before she too bit into him, and thank the spirits she didn't realize the significance of the gesture; she would gut him for his subterfuge if she ever figured it out. He arched into her one final time, feeling his body stiffen with the advent of his own release, he caught himself on his elbows and held there, his forehead pressed comfortingly to hers, mandibles tickling her skin.

Predictably Shepard caught her breath first, he could feel her hot breath against his cheek as she raised up slightly to catch the tip of his mandible between her teeth, giving it a playful tug. Garrus snorted and she pecked his cheek lightly, another curious human gesture he thought he could get used to. He rolled to her side, draping a possessive arm about her waist.

"We still need to talk. About us, I mean. Where are we going with this, Garrus?"

Why was she asking his opinion? Had he not made his feelings clear on that blasted planet and again a few moments ago? Garrus growled softly, if she could muster her thoughts well enough to speak so coherently then clearly he hadn't; his hand traced down her abdomen, drawing phantom designs in the skin there until her felt her breath growing shallow again. This would be a calculated risk, she might well ban him from ever entering her quarters again if she didn't skin him alive.

"I thought you said Dr. Mordin had explained?"

"Courtship rituals, primal state, so on and so forth but that's all in the past-"

She cut off with a surprised gasp as Garrus pushed his talon into her once more, "You stayed with me. You brought me back, what we just did… Shepard, as far as I'm concerned you are my _mate_. I know you humans don't really think that way, but in turian culture we're as good as married."

Shepard was arching into his hand once again, making a visible effort to keep track of her thoughts, " 'Married' is a big word, Garrus."

Garrus flicked her clit with his thumb gently and Shepard stiffened with a swiftly indrawn breath. "Engaged then; definitely in a relationship that is something more than "blowing off steam."

Shepard smirked, "Thought you weren't into humans?"

He twisted sharply, rolling on top of her once more as he braced his weight on his forearms, "I'm into _you_."

Shepard laughed, "In some ways a little more literally than others." She blushed suddenly in distress and Garrus' tensed up, wondering what could have brought such a downhearted look to her face. "I guess that means I lost your engagement presents."

Garrus rumbled questioningly, nudging a little more forcefully into her as she tried to collect her thoughts, "I left your pretty rocks behind in that forsaken desert."

Garrus laughed in relief, "I'll find you new ones, something a little better than I could have found in the dirt."

"But those were special, there were memories attached to them."

"Then I guess we'll just have to make new ones." Shepard sighed as he slid into her, rocking languidly this time; she hummed thoughtfully, "Just so you know, I'm not done with you yet. This doesn't even _begin_ to make up for some of the stunts you pulled down there."

"Glad to hear it, Shepard. I'm not done with you just yet either."

**Author's Note:**

> This is already posted on LJ, but I will be editing as I post so it may take a couple days to finish it. :)


End file.
